Sage's Story
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: Sage makes an appearence in Mystic Falls. She has a definite agenda for being there. Involves the Salvatore Brothers, the Original family and the humans of Mystic Falls
1. Prologue

Disclaimer – The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

The story is rated M and is intended for adults only. Please respect my wishes.

The character of Sage is not and never will be canon. The other characters adhere for the most part to the series with some great liberties taken. The story came out of the fact that I find it somewhat unbelievable the way these ancient people are portrayed with modern morals and beliefs. I know it essential that the writers do so to keep the interest of the audience, but I have always been fascinated by how society, culture, or whatever you want to call it dictates what is "right". I also believe that people are deeply affected by their upbringing and much as everyone fights against it, the beliefs instilled in one as a child do affect one's outlook on life. By the way, Sage's beliefs are certainly NOT mine. What you have here is an overactive imagination that's been allowed to take over.

Elijah, conquering his scruples and his tendency to despair over his moral shortcomings, gathered a trio of witches and returned to Mystic Falls. Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah, joining forces with Elijah, were able to overpower and kill Esther. Elijah, to his chagrin, delivered the death blow while Rebekah distracted her mother. The witches performed a counter ritual to unlink the siblings and at the same time allow the true death of Finn.

Klaus and Rebekah found the location of the white oak sapling, pulled it out by the roots, and burnt it. Rebekah insisted on taking the ashes and scattering them to the four winds so Klaus would not have power over the rest of his family. Elijah whisked away the ash vial kept by Klaus and would not reveal its whereabouts.

Kol, determined to finally be safe, used the three witches to hunt down and eradicate all members of the Bennett clan. He then betrayed and murdered them, burning their grimoires along with their bodies.

Klaus kept his word to the Mayor and peace returned to Mystic Falls. Mysteriously the attacks on the council members ceased.

The remaining Originals, having eliminated all opponents with any real chance of doing them harm, are taking a brief respite. It's only a matter of time before they turn their attention to mopping up what remains of the motley crew, along with their assorted weapons, that strove to destroy them.


	2. First Meeting

Stefan was walking aimlessly on the outskirts of the town center, hands in the pockets of his hoodie, trying to decide if he cared enough to go get a cup of coffee. He caught a faint whiff of her signature scent before he actually saw her. He turned quickly to find her inside his personal space. but that was so typical of her. He remembered the red hair, the wide eyes with the heavy fringe of eyelashes, the serene smile, and the confident stance. She was dressed fashionably, but not overtly provocative. Her ultra high heels allowed her to look slightly down into his eyes.

He stepped back before he could help himself. He quickly stood tall, but he knew she caught the gesture and was amused by it. She always looked at him like he was catnip and she was the cat who just hadn't gotten around to playing with him, but his time would come.

"Hello, Sage," he said warily. He forced his hands to stay loose at his sides and kept his gaze steady.

"Hello, Stefan. It's been awhile." She stopped and waited. Long silences had never disconcerted her. She simply waited as if she had all the time in the world.

He groped for words, before finally settling for a bland response. "I'm surprised to see you in Mystic Falls."

She didn't answer his indirect question about why she was in Mystic Falls; just studied him tilting her head slightly and walking around him with her signature sway, one foot almost directly in front of the other. The hairs on Stefan's neck rose when she walked behind him. He didn't trust her and had to grit his teeth to prevent himself from turning so his back wasn't exposed. She had an amused little smile on her face when she came around to face him once again, knowing exactly how she affected him.

"So, which mode is it now, ripper or saint?" She was always matter-of-fact with him, never flirting or coy. She waited for his response.

He debated simply walking away from her, but knew it would probably earn him a broken neck, so he quietly said, "I don't see how that concerns you."

"Let me worry about how it concerns me. Ripper or saint? Don't make me ask again." She didn't raise her voice or change the little smile she wore, but Stefan knew if he didn't answer he would be the worse for it.

"Halfway between the two and not sure how it's going to come out in the end." Stefan gave her an honest answer, let her make of it what she wanted.

She accepted that with a tiny nod. She looked around her. "This is a strange little town."

Stefan blinked, bewildered by the remark that had no connection to what they had been talking about.

She looked back at him and said, "Where's your second mother, Lexi?"

"She's dead." Stefan snapped out his response.

She didn't appear surprised, and Stefan surmised that she was only confirming information that she already had. She said coolly, "You're looking run down. Your brother should take better care of you. Tell Damon I'm here and will be seeing him."

"I don't need my broth .. " his voice died out as her eyes dismissed him, and she walked almost directly into him, forcing him to move aside or be knocked over.

Stefan, as he watched her move away, wondered not for the first time, if her walk was the custom when she was born, or if it was something she cultivated. He knew she was old, but she had never revealed just what her age was. The one time he had casually asked Damon, his brother had said he didn't really know, but suspected she might be third or fourth generation vampire from the Original stock. She knew them all by name and unlike most vampires didn't fear them or spread scare stories about them. Most vampires only whispered in awe of the Originals and acted like they were the bogeymen of children's stories, but Sage was an exception.

Stefan swallowed nervously and forgetting his cup of coffee, headed home to the boarding house.

He flung the door open, yelling, "Damon," and repeated it several times before his brother came down the stairs.

"What's your problem? I was checking out some of my jackets. What's got your briefs in a wad?"

He watched curiously as Stefan went over to the decanter and glasses always left on the side table. He poured himself a healthy dose of bourbon and drowned half the glass in one gulp. Stefan stared at the glass in his hand for a moment before turning to look at his brother. "Sage is in Mystic Falls."

Damon's face froze for a moment in shock, and then he whistled. "Hmmm; unsolved murders in Mystic Falls, Council members dying, and lo and behold Sage. Slap me with the stupid stick, for not seeing that one coming."

"What does she want?" Stefan asked anxiously, gulping the rest of the glass down, and running his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit of his.

Damon smiled a particularly snarky smile and spread his hands open wide. "Now how would I know little brother? Sage, like our beloved Katherine, does what she wants, when she wants, and the only way we'll know what she's up to is if she decides to tell us." He rubbed his face with his hand. "One thing's for sure, if it has anything to do with us, we'll know it before long."

They looked at each other for a moment before Damon said, "You better pour me a tall one. Things are going to get interesting."


	3. First Talk

Precisely at 10 o'clock in the morning there was a knock on the door. The brothers were sitting in the big room that circled most of the front of the house. Stefan was holding a magazine that he had been flipping through over and over again. Damon wasn't even pretending to do anything. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air. They had been expecting a visit, and it seemed it was happening now. They looked at each other, knowing immediately who was calling. Stefan, shaking his head in resignation, got up and went out to the hall, Damon following several steps behind. Stefan opened the door with a flourish, leaning against it without speaking. Standing there completely at ease was Sage. She brushed past him as if he didn't exist.

Still facing the outdoors Stefan said sarcastically, "So nice to see you. Yes, please do come in? Oh, you're already in." He turned and closed the door with a backward kick.

"Damon." Sage walked towards him with hands outstretched.

"Sage, my love. It's been too long." Damon moved forward to kiss her. Theirs had been a passionate relationship, and they had parted amicably. He was thrown off kilter when she turned to give him her cheek instead of her lips. He recovered quickly and stepped back after brushing it with his lips.

"That was nice of you to knock," he observed.

She raised her carefully shaped eyebrows. "The niceties must be observed. It would be rude to walk in unannounced when the master is home." She walked past Damon to enter the large parlor.

Damon followed her, pausing to quirk his eyebrows at his brother, and mouth, "The Master."

Stefan scowled at his brother but didn't say anything. He followed the two of them, pausing to lean against the entranceway to the living area, arms folded, looking anything but happy.

Sage looked briefly around the large front parlor, noting the elaborate stained glass windows, the huge fireplace, and the formal furniture. "So, this is the ancestral Salvatore home." She seemed pleased with the room.

Damon blinked and looked questioningly at Stefan who merely shrugged. Damon blithely quipped, "Why thank you. We do like our little mansion."

It was not the first time Sage had done or said something that reminded him that she was from a different generation. She was young in appearance and even back in 1912 was always at the leading edge of fashion. Today, she wore jeans that were all the rage in Italy, but hadn't yet made it to New York, extremely high Manolo Blahnik heels, a blouse from an Italian couture house, and carried a pocketbook that cost thousands. Yet for all that she seemed current she still used phrases like ancestral home. She, of all the vampires he knew, gave the impression that she was born in another age.

She turned to Damon. "We need to talk. Privately. Do I have your permission to tell your brother to leave your house?"

"Actually, it's our house." Stefan was still leaning against the woodwork leading into the room. "And I don't care to leave."

She spoke in the tone one would use to explain something to a child. "Damon is the eldest of your family, therefore he is patriarch and the house is his. You are here under his protection and control." She asked again, "Damon?"

Damon, smirking, raised an eyebrow. "Take a hike, Stefan."

Stefan glared at both of them, his nerves on edge. His uncertainly over Elena, his blood cravings as he tried to switch back to animal blood, and concern over the Originals left him on the verge of cracking. Lately, even at the best of times, he barely felt in control. Sage's dismissive attitude set his back up, and he felt the veins under his eyes engorge and his fangs bump against his lips.

Sage was outraged. She sped over to him and lifted him by his neck, feet dangling an inch off the floor, and threw him into the hallway. "How dare you show disrespect to a guest in your brother's home!"

Stefan scrambled up off the floor ready to fight. She shifted her stance, arms outspread and hands at the ready, legs spread, balancing on the balls of her feet, prepared for battle. Damon, alarmed now at the tension crackling in the air, pleaded, "Stefan, please."

Stefan trembled, fighting for control. He was finally able to rein in his emotions and decided discretion was the wisest choice in this situation. He spun on his heels and left, slamming the door so hard the house rattled.

Sage turned to Damon. "He needs discipline."

Damon was surprised at the violence of her reaction to Stefan's minor show of defiance. He watched her warily, unsure of her temper.

She spoke calmly but seriously. "We need to talk."

Damon walked deliberately towards her, a swagger in his hips, exuding sexuality. He smiled his most confident, cocky, smile and teasingly asked, "Are you sure you just want to talk?" His half closed eyes flirted as he moved in so close their bodies were separated by inches only.

"Sit down," she commanded. "Don't try to distract me, Damon. I taught you everything you know."

The coldness of her words disconcerted him. He looked at her uncertainly and then sat where she pointed.

She didn't sit, just sighed deeply and paced back and forth, arms folded, her heels making no sound on the Oriental carpet. From time to time she glanced at Damon. She finally stopped in front of him, tapping her foot. "I've kept tabs on you and your brother over the years. I knew when you returned to Mystic Falls. I know what happened with Klaus and the curse and Elijah."

She forestalled the question Damon's half parted lips foreshadowed. "I have my sources." She stopped in front of him, hands on hips, frowning at him. "I've heard things that disturb me. What I don't know is what you think you're doing."

Damon made an ambiguous gesture and keeping his voice and face noncommittal, said, "What do you mean?"

She frowned. "Is it true? Did you really fall in love with a human girl? Stoop to fighting with your brother over this girl? Challenged Klaus for this girl?" Her voice expressed her disbelief. "Have you nothing to say to me?"

Damon's face was grim, and he hung his head down for a moment before lifting his chin defiantly. "Yes, it's true."

She looked at him like he was crazy and started pacing again, one hand fisted around her chin, the other clasping her elbow. She stopped once more to face him. "And Katerina or Katherine or whatever name the wench calls herself. Did you work with her against Klaus and Elijah? Katherine? Really?" Her voice was incredulous.

Damon took a swig of liquor from a glass he had poured previously and raised his face to her again, his attitude insolent. "Yes, we joined forces to protect Elena."

She threw her hands up in the air in total disgust. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "Did you learn nothing from me other than how to seduce and enjoy women? All of the knowledge I tried to give you and you do this?" She grimly berated him.

He got up to argue, and she pushed him down with such force the sofa moved back four inches. "I said sit." Her eyes and voice were so fierce he knew he would be pushing it to move. "So you came back, opened a tomb of how many vampires and let them loose on the town, endangering the doppelganger for your Katherine. Did Katherine love you as you hoped she would?" Her voice mocked him.

He scowled. "I can tell from your tone you know she didn't want me."

"No, she loved your brother, and you were jealous. Plus she had her own agenda. She used you! Used you and you fell for it again. I sent you away when I did because I knew you were infatuated with her. I had hoped time would give you some perspective. That you would finally divert the blood flow from your lower organ up to your brain, but obviously THAT was a false hope. You let her make a fool out of you. AGAIN!'"

He was taken aback for a moment and then briskly tried to defend himself. "Katherine is stronger than me. There was nothing I could do."

"Have you no pride?"

Damon hung his head sullenly. He hated being scolded by anyone, but especially by Sage. She was his mentor, and he was both embarrassed and upset that he had so obviously disappointed her.

"When you found out she didn't love you, did you refuse her your brother?" She had started pacing again.

He frowned. "No, I tried to kill her."

She half snorted. "Well, maybe there's hope for you after all. But you still should have told her she would never get Stefan. You are head of your family. You decide what your dependents do. And that human girl." She spoke with such disdain that Damon winced. "Does she love you?" She looked at Damon when he didn't answer her, but continued to pace. "Does she love you, Damon? Have the courage to answer me."

"She likes me, loves Stefan." Damon's reply was sulky.

This was too much for Sage. She stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. "You are pathetic. You do not compel and take this human, and then you allow your younger brother, Your Younger Brother, to take what is yours by right of first choice. Have you no dignity? And if that's not enough, you're stupid. You fight an Original, not just an Original, but the Hybrid for this human girl who doesn't love you." She stared at him.

He met her eyes, any defiance he had gone. He shrugged, ashamed now. "It's true."

"It's true. It's true." She mimicked his shrug and his answer. She was so upset she couldn't say anything else. She turned her back on him and tapped her foot. She breathed heavily through her nose for a few moments and then seemed to get control of herself.

She sat in an overstuffed armchair across from him and threw her head back against the chair, her hands grasping the chair arms.

Damon sat silently, watching her.

Her voice was sad when she finally spoke again. "What am I going to do with you, Damon?" Suddenly she sat up straight. "I need a drink."

Damon silently rose and went over to the credenza where he stashed his private stock. He knelt, reaching deep into the cabinet, pushing several other bottles aside. He first wiped the dust off and then broke the seal on the ornate bottle, filling a glass for her and topping his off.

She delicately sipped the amber colored liquor, pausing to swirl it around her tongue and giving a little moue of appreciation. "Excellent." She held the drink in both hands and said, "I taught you so many things." Her voice and face hardened imperceptibly. She tilted her head and stared at him in a way that made him uncomfortable. "Can it be that the only thing you remembered of everything I told you was that women were not just for feeding?"

He hesitated to drink. "Does it matter?" he asked cautiously.

"It matters," she replied. "Did you feel nothing when you were with me?" Her brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "I thought there was something between us. I was sure there was. Why do you think I spent so much time teaching you? I had such hopes for you, for us," she said sadly.

Damon hopeful now, offered anxiously. "I am over Elena and Katherine. I've had enough of women who don't want me. We can be together again."

Her mouth twisted, and she shook her head pityingly. "You don't get it, do you? You are dead."

Damon looked at her for a moment. He gave a little laugh. "Klaus!" He ran his hand through his hair. "You think Klaus will kill me."

"No, I don't think. I know Klaus or another vampire seeking his approval will kill you," she said solemnly. As he started to speak, she held up her hand. "Listen to me, please." She thought for a moment. "The Salvatore brothers are a byword in vampire society for their looks, charm, and craziness."

Damon's brow wrinkled. There she went again throwing in strange words. "What's byword?" he asked puzzled.

She blew out a breath impatiently and thought for a moment. "You're trending with hashtag Crazy Salvatore Brothers. Does that make sense to you? Both of you are known everywhere."

Damon started to protest and then for some reason his meeting with Slater popped into his mind. Slater had known his name and vital statistics immediately.

"No one has messed with you for a long time now. Do you know why?"

Damon lifted his hand in an elegant hand gesture. "You're dying to tell me, so go ahead."

"Because of your brother."

"Stefan? Because of Stefan? Now, who's crazy?" Damon scoffed at her.

Her look told him she thought he was an idiot. "Yes, your brother, who is known to be friend, almost brother to the Lord Niklaus, and acknowledged favorite of the Lady Rebekah. None of the older vampires would go near him, and since everyone knows for all that you two fight each other every time you meet; if you fight one Salvatore then you're fighting two, you've been off limits. Think, Damon. Since the 1920's who's come after you? You've insulted and fought with how many vampires, and everyone avoids you except the fledglings or those on the run who aren't in the know."

He thought about it and conceded her the point. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, yeah I see what you're saying."

"Some parts of human behavior do not change with time. The first thing those who are attacked do is destroy any opponents with any real power. They then appear conciliatory, even talk openly about peace. Once they lull everyone in to a false sense of security, they take their vengeance on anyone who has opposed them, setting an example so that no one will rise up against them again.

"The Originals have stopped running. They had not taken their rightful places as the rulers of the vampire world because they were afraid for their lives. That fear no longer exists. They've wiped out anything or anyone that can hurt them. They will take their vengeance on everyone who has ever opposed or slighted them. Let me tell you the witches are trembling."

"How long do you think you have, Damon? I've made it my business to know and see as much as I can. I hunted down Lucy and compelled her to tell me everything she knew about Katerina. I saw Mikael die, Damon. I know you tried to stab Klaus with a white oak stake. I know you snapped Kol's neck. I know Esther and Finn are dead." She compressed her lips in a thin line, displeased. "You are such a fool."

Damon was quiet. Sage, of all the vampires and people he had ever known, had never lied to him. He had seen her use cunning and deceit when dealing with other vampires, but for some reason her treatment of him was always brutally direct and honest.

He looked at her eyes, and his gut told him she wasn't lying. He swallowed and said simply, "So I run for it?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "Run, Damon? Run where? Every vampire will turn against you once the word spreads that the Originals want you dead. If you're lucky someone will just kill you and bring the body in as proof."

Damon gave a brave little laugh. "Well then, maybe I'll just go try to kill one of them first."

She ignored him his futile show of bravado. "Do you know why I'm here, Damon?"

"To tell me how stupid I am?" He hazarded a guess.

"I'm here because the Originals are the strongest of our kind and the Royal family of our world. They are the top of our food chain, and I want to be there with them at the top. Let me tell you, the word will spread that Mikael is dead, and the Originals have come out of hiding. The older ones, those that survived Mikael's genocide, will flock to this town, to pay their respects to the family. I intend to get there first."

Damon raised an eyebrow at that bald statement.

"I can do it." Her voice rang with confidence. "I'm in favor with them. But I also came back for you. I wanted you there with me."

Damon looked at her. "Is that wise considering my current lack of popularity with the family?" he said pessimistically.

"If anyone can do it, Damon, it's me. I was born to the nobility. I was conniving and scheming at court at an age when you were still tied to your mother's apron strings. It's in my blood."

Damon's attempt to lighten the atmosphere by saying, "Oh, I don't know about that, my mother died when I was a boy."

Sage, ignoring his comment, pointed a finger at him to emphasize her point. "But understand this. By championing you, I am putting my reputation, my status, and it could even be my life on the line for you. If you do not want this then you owe it to me to say so now. You have to be honest with me, and you have to be willing to follow my rules. You are a babe in the woods when it comes to scheming." She frowned. "By the way, I've followed a lot of your plans, and both of you Salvatores are incompetent asses."

Damon chuckled at that. "Our schemes do get a little hare brained." He sobered up and said, "Why? Why are you doing this for me?"

She looked at him. "I wanted you from the first time I met you. I knew the time wasn't right back in 1912, but that doesn't mean I didn't plan for the future. What's a hundred or two hundred years to us? But, Damon I am serious. To do this you will need to stop trying to pretend you're human. You need to think like a vampire, act like a vampire. You need to follow the rules of our world."

Damon ran his finger around the edge of his glass, his expression hard. He met Sage's eyes. "I'm done trying to be something that I'm not, for someone who doesn't want me. Someone that pretends that they'll love me if I just change a little bit. But trust? I don't think I can trust anyone again."

She smiled. "And that is a good thing, but what I am proposing is an alliance. If one goes down we both go down. We become a family, and family is sacred above all else."

He nodded and raised his glass. "To our new family."

She repeated his toast and then said, "Now pour us some more of that excellent liquor and fill me in on every single detail, every nuance, every word that you can remember. I need to know everything if you're going to survive."

Damon reached for the bottle and filled both glasses. He looked at her as he poured, and a smile lit his face. For the first time in a long, long time he felt good. Sage had taken him under her wing back in 1912 when he was so lost, so unsure of himself. She was always talking to him about the importance of family, of one's place in the order of things. She was right, he had chosen to take away only her lessons in love, but she had given him so much more.

He realized again how beautiful she was, but it was more than that. It was the way she carried herself, her confidence, the way she flaunted that mane of shining red hair. He had been too obsessed with his love for Katherine to think about a future with her, and she had understood, never pressing him for future plans, leaving him when she thought he was ready to face the world on his own. For the first time he thought about a future with her, and it filled him with hope. He was done with Katherine, done with Elena. He sat down and started talking.


	4. Visit To The Mansion

Sage had grilled him for two hours and then abruptly ceased talking, sitting absolutely still on one of the many comfortable sofas in the enormous boarding house living room. Damon walked around, filling his glass, drank, absently pushed a pillow around, and occasionally glanced at her. Only the really old ones could maintain this type of stillness. She was obviously lost in thought, her eyes unfocused.

"Did Rebekah like you?" Damon jumped slightly when she fired the question at him. He looked at her, eyebrows up and a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Sage impatiently said, "I asked you a question. Did Rebekah like you?"

Damon shrugged, bourbon bottle in one hand, glass in the other. "Actually no! She wanted the sex, but she doesn't particularly like me."

Sage went still again. Damon looked at her for a moment. "Whatever!" He sat in a nearby armchair with the bottle and glass.

Time went by and finally Sage relaxed and looked over at the vampire. "Aren't you going to offer me a refill, sweetheart?"

Damon looked at her over the rim of his glass. "Are you back with us now?"

She laughed gaily. "Yes, darling. I was deep in thought, but it's all worked out. I have a plan." She stretched running her hands through her thick red hair. "Oh yes, I have a plan."

Damon shook his head. "Should I be worried? When you have a plan you let nothing stand in your way. Tell me I'm not in your way."

He got up somehow managing to hold on to his glass, pour another glass, and bring it over to Sage along with the bottle. She patted the sofa cushion next to her and relieved him of one of the glasses. She toasted him with it and said, "You are not in the way. You are part of the goal." He smiled and sipped, but sprayed bourbon when she added, "We will have to sacrifice your brother, however."

He stared at her, hoping to see humor in her face, but saw only a serious expression. His face hardened, and he said fervently with a touch of menace, "You are not killing my brother!"

"Don't be an idiot," she said scornfully. "Your brother is our key to greatness. He's our foothold into the Original family."

"What?" Damon couldn't believe what he heard.

"Your brother is a good bargaining chip, Damon. Rebekah loves him, I'm sure of it. Klaus does also, I know it."

Damon again spit out part of his drink. "Klaus? Want Stefan? No way. Klaus likes women. He wants Blondie, ah, Caroline."

"Have I taught you nothing, Damon?" Sage was exasperated with him. "Sexual mores are a matter of society. Just because same sex is frowned upon today doesn't mean it always was. At court marriages were for political and economic reasons. Same sex relationships were safe and condoned. No unwanted pregnancies, no contaminating the blood lines."

"Klaus? Stefan?" Damon was still surprised. "I thought he just liked Stefan cause he was a crazy douche bag ripper, and he got a kick out of him being a nut."

"No, he would have pursued Stefan if he didn't have to escape Mikael. He definitely considered him a brother. I'm sure of it."

"Hey, If you're so hot on being with the Original, so called Royal court, where have you been all these years?" Damon baited her.

A sly smile accompanied her answer. "Living with royalty has always been both a bonus and a deathtrap. People or vampires with absolute power can turn on you easily, and they never forget a wrong done to them. A good courtier knows when to not take sides, and sometimes not choosing a side is as bad as choosing the wrong one. If you're not going to choose then it's best to disappear so no one can accuse you of not taking their side."

Damon had to laugh at her answer. "You are a clever one."

She put her drink down. "We have no time to lose. Let's put my plan into action. Are you up for it?"

"Now? You want to go there now?" Damon was surprised by what seemed like an impulsive move on her part.

"I say we move before Klaus does. Once your heart is out of your body it's too late to negotiate." She teased him. "Besides, we should get there at four o'clock, and that's the perfect time for afternoon calls."

Damon put his glass down, laughing. "And we must observe the niceties. Let me get a jacket, and we're out of here."

She stood waiting until he came down the stairs. "I want a tour of the house when we get back."

He smiled. "You can redecorate if you want."

She laughed, and they walked, arms linked, out to his powder blue convertible.

Damon drove while Sage gave last minute instructions. "Remember, I've lived my whole life around nobility, intrigue, and power struggles, and I know what I'm doing. Whatever you do, show no fear. Once we pull into the driveway everything we say will be overheard. You're going to have to trust me, Damon. If you don't you'll die, and you might bring me down with you."

Damon looked away from the road to assure her. "I made up my mind, Sage. I bought into this."

She stared at him long after he turned his attention back to his driving. Feeling her eyes on him he said, "What?"

"I've never risked as much for someone as I'm risking for you, and then I think about you and the crazy things you've done, and I wonder if I'm not the crazy one." She worried her lower lip.

Her admission made him smile. "I won't disappoint."

He smoothly pulled into the long driveway leading up to the Mikaelson mansion and parked the car. They looked at each other and Sage took his hand, mouthing, "We can do this."

He just nodded, determined.

They got out and walked up to the door. Sage rang the bell.

The door was opened by a boyishly grinning Klaus. "Sage, my lovely!" He didn't acknowledge Damon's presence.

She smiled, dipping her head and holding her hand out to him. "My Lord Klaus." Klaus promptly raised it to his lips, gently kissing it, while keeping his eyes on hers.

Damon felt momentarily transported to another age. He could easily see Sage curtseying to a crowned Klaus.

Kol was suddenly behind his brother. "Sage!" His voice betrayed his pleasure.

"Lord Kol!" She again gave that little nod and extended her hand for a kiss. She looked quickly around them. "Are the Lord Elijah and Lady Rebekah here?"

"No, he's off brooding somewhere, and she's out on one of her never ending shopping sprees. By the way, we don't do the Lord stuff nowadays," Klaus protested, but it was clear she had done herself no harm by addressing him that way. He secretly missed the days when he was considered nobility.

Kol peered around her at a somewhat disgruntled Damon, standing nearby. His unhappiness with being ignored was written all over his face.

Kol, ever the mischief maker, said, "Really Sage, the company you keep these days. I have to question your taste."

Damon lips twisted, but he kept silent, remembering his instructions.

Klaus glanced from Damon to Sage. She merely smiled, and he, clearly grasping the situation, laughed. He did not comment other than to say, "Where are my manners? My pleasure at seeing you has made me forget myself. Please come in!" He motioned him past her and just missed closing the door on Damon.

Kol led them into one of the many sitting rooms the mansion possessed.

Sage looked around admiringly. "If the hallway and this room are any indication you've done a marvelous job decorating, but I expected nothing less." She did not immediately sit, but walked around staring at the rug. Klaus stood, arms folded, watching her closely. She turned her head to look at him, a smile on her face. "This Savonnerie rug looks remarkably familiar."

"Does it really?" Klaus was all innocence. "I'm glad you like the room, my dear. I've decided to settle in Mystic Falls for the next eighty or so years, so I wanted a proper home for my family. May I offer you some refreshments?"

"Tea would be lovely."

"Ah yes, I do enjoy afternoon tea."

"Provided something stronger is also available, so do I," added Kol.

A butler entered and Klaus gave orders. They sat idly discussing the weather and vampires they knew. Damon sat quietly with a sense of unreality. He and Sage could very easily die here, and everyone was aware of it, but it sounded like a, well, like a tea party.

Several servants came in, arranging a heavy silver urn, with accompanying creamers, lemons, and sugar. Various silver trays with tiny savories, scones, freshly baked from the smell, clotted cream, and assorted cakes were arranged. Damon blinked at the spread.

"My dear, would you do the honors?" Klaus requested.

"Of course." Sage poured the tea and prepared it as if it was an everyday occurrence, passing a cup to each man before pouring herself one.

Kol glancing over at a clearly uncomfortable Damon, smirked and asked, "Whiskey?"

"Please!" Damon's response was heartfelt. Kol turned to one of the servants and passed on the order. Kol and Damon were soon supplied with a beverage more to their liking than tea.

When everyone had been served Klaus remarked, "How interesting that you show up with Damon?" Clearly the time to get to the heart of the discussion had come.

"We came to pay our respects," Sage replied.

Klaus good naturedly said, "Now Sage, I've had it on my to-do-list for awhile to pull the Salvatore's heart out through his . . , well, let's say his mouth." Kol spit out a mouthful of liquor at that remark. Klaus grinned, pleased that he had amused his brother. "Please don't tell me I'm going to have to refrain because of you."

"We need to talk My Lord . . ah Klaus." She deliberately slipped addressing him. It was her way of reinforcing the fact that she respected him. "Provided it meets with your approval I would like to take Damon as consort and move in with him." She quickly added, "It would put me greatly in your debt. I have shown him the error of his ways, and I assure you I can keep him and his brother in line.

Klaus smiled showing his dimples. "But he has annoyed me so much. Why should I spare him for you?"

Kol added, "He is beyond irritating."

"You know I am loyal to the family," Sage began.

She was quickly interrupted by a stern Klaus. "But we haven't seen you in many a year, Sage. You did not help me. "

She betrayed no nervousness at his accusation. She remained completely unruffled. "I did not interfere, true. I am not of the family and had no place and no say in what happened between you. But, I never conspired against any of you. I could have gone to Mikael and told him what I knew of your whereabouts, like others did to guarantee their lives would be spared. Instead, I stayed on the run rather than reveal your location. I have never betrayed you." She turned her gaze to Kol. "Or you."

Kol nodded agreement.

Klaus considered for a moment and then softened, picking up her hand and kissing it. "You were always one of our favorites. So you're here now. Why?"

"I want it to be like it used to be. I want to be part of the court." She held up her hand to stop Klaus's protests. "Yes, I know there are no royals and no court, but I want the closeness, the excitement of how it used to be. I don't believe they can't be recreated." Sage for the first time showed passion and leaned forward slightly in her vehemence. "I dislike being a vagabond. I dislike mingling with peasants."

Kol and Klaus both laughed out loud.

"Don't you remember what it was like? How exciting it was to put that lecher Rodrigo Borgia on the papal throne? Klaus, you were smitten with the lovely Lucrezia."

Klaus smiled reminiscently.

"And the time of the Medici. The art, oh the art! That homely young man, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, with the talented hands. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci with his imagination and curiosity,and the other incredible talents. " She smiled slyly. "Whenever I hear about missing or stolen art, especially any of your favorites, I always wonder, Klaus."

Klaus managed to look both innocent and mischievous at the same time. "Sage, really! You hurt me with your unjustified implications."

Sage laughed and continued, "And the Sun King. Kol, remember how the King's brother Philippe adored you? He followed you around like a love sick puppy."

Kol smirked. "Actually I preferred his wife, the lovely Henrietta. But it was you who intrigued our Louis."

She sat back, looking smug. "Yes, he was enamored." Suddenly her hand went to her mouth as a realization hit her. "Oh My God! The rug! It's from his bedchamber."

Klaus burst out laughing. "It took you long enough to remember. Didn't you pay attention to the furnishings when you were in Louis' bed?"

The other two joined in, laughing with him.

Damon quietly listened to the conversation swirling around him and the stories being exchanged between the three of them, their words painting visions in his mind. All these names they mentioned; Henry the Eight, Robespierre, Rasputin, were names he had studied in school or read about in books. Something stirred inside him. They were there; they had influenced the most influential people in history. He had agreed to this reconciliation because he wanted to be with Sage, but suddenly he was overcome with an overwhelming desire to be a part of it, to be at the center of everything that was exciting. He longed to be one of this elite group, to finally belong.

He came back to the present to hear Sage say, "I could go on and on, but we were there. We were part of the most exciting times, among the most exciting people, and you directed the course of history."

Klaus and Kol exchanged a long look. Kol finally shrugged and nodded.

Klaus nonchalantly took a sip of his drink and regarded her. "So, you want to be around the family again. What do you offer in return if I grant you Damon's life?"

"Damon has agreed to refrain from interfering with Elena." She once again held up a quick hand asking for patience. "We know you could stop that easily enough by killing him. We will also keep his brother away from her and get him under control."

Klaus remarked a little too casually. "Why would I care if Stefan is under control?"

"I believe the Lady Rebekah would care. She was my dearest friend, until she, ah, shall we say disappeared." Klaus dimpled again at the diplomatic way she said it.

Kol just snorted and looked sourly at Klaus. "Most of the family has had a tendency to disappear at one time or the other."

Sage continued serenely, "You have to admit the Salvatores make things interesting. By themselves they are powerless, they can not constitute a real threat to you. The only thing you can die of now is boredom, and I would be willing to do my part to keep you from that fate." She didn't make any overtly sexual gestures, but somehow she made the atmosphere electrical. Damon was all admiration at her skill.

The Original brothers were not immune to her charm either.

Klaus finally said, "Anything for you, Sage. I'm sure you'll be able to find something else for me to do to pass the time besides rip Damon apart and see if I can put the pieces back together again."

They exchanged knowing smiles, while Kol smirked, and Damon looked like he ate something bad.

The meeting clearly at an end. They exchanged more idle talk before Klaus escorted them to the door. His final words were, "Rebekah will want to renew your acquaintance, and I'm sure anything you can do with Stefan will be appreciated by us. . her."

Sage smiled knowingly. "He will see the error of his ways."

Klaus walked back to the small sitting room where Kol was lolling in a chair, sipping more whiskey.

"I adore Sage, but Damon? He's brash, crazy, a trouble maker."

Klaus continued for him. "Yes, I see what you mean. Always stirring up trouble. Causing commotions. Hmmm! Now who does he remind me of?" Klaus pretended to think, wagging a finger in the air.

Kol laughed. "You couldn't be accusing me of any of those traits, could you?"

Klaus smiled at him. "You are two peas in a pod, Kol. If he can be kept in line, he'll be a good playmate for you. As much as anyone can be trusted, I trust Sage. She has always stood by us since she was turned."

Kol nodded. "I agree, and I look forward to renewing my acquaintance with her and her bed."

Klaus smiled and looked down. "Don't you think you better make it your bed? Damon isn't that old after all and probably has some old fashioned ideas."

Kol shrugged. "He'll learn fast if he's going to survive around our family. How will Elijah, if he comes back, deal with him?"

Klaus pursed his lips. "Big brother and I didn't get to sit down and have any heart to hearts, but I get the impression he approves of them. I think they remind him of us." Klaus rolled it over in his mind. "Elijah will be pleased to see him alive."

Klaus poured himself a glass of whiskey and walked over to top off Kol's glass. "Our sister still pines after the younger Salvatore."

Kol grinned up at him. "Do you?"

Klaus smiled charmingly. "Perhaps."

Kol laughed. "I could use some excitement. Not the going to die type, mind you. I had a thousand years of that. The causing trouble kind."

Klaus lifted his glass. "To trouble!"

Damon and Sage were silent until they were at least a mile away. Damon scowled. "That was pleasant!"

Sage laughed merrily. "We did it, Damon. Now, we just have to deal with Stefan."

Damon glanced at her before putting his attention back to the road. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," she said confidently. "Klaus would have torn your heart out in front of me if he wasn't going to let you live. He likes me enough that he wouldn't have toyed with me and let me have hope."

Damon raised his eyebrows. "How sweet of him! So glad he likes you."

Sage said, "Be thankful he does like me. Klaus in a rage is a terrifying thing to watch. I've seen him . . . Never mind. It was a rougher age, and he may have mellowed somewhat."

Damon gulped. The fact that Sage shied away from recounting something Klaus did scared him more than anything he had yet seen.

Damon said, "Let me talk to Stefan on my own. You make him nervous."

Sage smiled. "I think more of him because of that."


	5. The Brothers Talk

Damon was waiting for him at the site of the old Salvatore planatation house, leaning against one of the overgrown entranceway columns, arms folded. Stefan hesitantly approached him, not sure why his brother had asked to meet him at this isolated spot. He kept his senses alert; smelling the air, ears searching for sounds.

Damon smiled his one sided smile. "Don't be so suspicious, brother. I didn't get you out here for any nefarious purpose. Hey, bet you didn't know I knew a word that big."

When Stefan didn't respond with a smile, Damon got serious. "We need to talk, and I wanted it to be just between us. Sit." Damon pointed to a piece of wall. When Stefan hung back, making no move forward, Damon lost patience and sped over dragging him to the wall, forcing him to sit.

"You're back on animal blood; you're weaker than me. If I wanted to do you harm I would, okay? Okay?" Damon demanded an acknowledgement from his brother.

Stefan nodded and folded his arms. "I'm listening."

Damon paced in front of Stefan who tracked his movements with his eyes.

He threw his arms up and said, "Do you realize that I finally know what I want? How I want to spend the rest of my life." He laughed harshly. "Yes, for the first time since you forced me to turn I know what I want, and I want you to help me get it."

Stefan wiped his face with his hand, sighing heavily, and then refolded his arms. "What is it you want, and how can I help you? I can't even help myself." He looked exhausted.

"Exactly." Damon stopped in front of his brother, jabbing at him with his finger to emphasize his point. "You can not help yourself. You have never been able to help yourself. When you were human, you didn't do what you wanted. You did what father told you regardless of how you felt about it. You proposed to Rosalyn, knowing it wasn't what you wanted. You let yourself be trapped because you can't stand up for yourself. Do you know what you want now, today?" Damon put his hands on his hips.

Stefan shook his head slowly. "I will. I just have to work things out."

Damon thought, even his voice sounds defeated. "You've been working things out for one hundred and sixty three years, and you're no closer to a solution then you where when you died."

"That's not true. This thing with Klaus just set me back." Stefan weakly protested, but his voice lacked conviction.

"Stop, Stefan. Be honest with yourself for once. " Damon was vehement. "You are always working things out. The difference is now there's no Lexi to drag you out of the black hole you let yourself fall into." Damon saw Stefan's mouth open and cut him off without letting him speak. "Don't throw out that tired old crap about how I killed Lexi. You killed Andie and countless others, and regardless of how she died there's no one left to pull you back when you fall in. Look at me, Stefan." Stefan looked Damon full in the eyes, face resigned, as his brother continued. "You are not strong enough. You will never be strong enough. You need someone to keep you in line and the only one left is me."

Stefan's lips parted, but he clamped them shut.

Damon, reading his thoughts, said, "Thank you for at least having the smarts not to pretend that Elena has the strength to rehab a ripper."

Stefan threw out his hands in a surrender gesture. "So, what are you proposing?"

Damon went back to his original post, leaning against the column and folded his arms. "I want Sage, and the only way I get her is to join her life. She's adamant, and we both know there's no give in her. Her way or no way."

Stefan's lips twisted. "And what life does Sage want?"

Damon explained. "She wants to be part of the Original's circle. She wants to be on top." At Stefan's look, Damon defensively responded, "I see her point. Why go through life being pushed around, when you can be the pushee."

Stefan clasped his hands and looked at the ground. "Fine. You want to be with Sage. Where does that leave Elena? Are you leaving her to the mercy of Klaus?"

Damon's face hardened. "Klaus has won Stefan. And when you say where does that leave Elena . . . it means she's left as human, to live a human life. No supernatural being would dare touch her. She can live her life as she wants, marry, have children, whatever she wants to make of it."

Damon, seeing Stefan's troubled face, continued, "Do you really think you can rescue her? How? Turn her into a vampire? Run away with her? What Stefan?"

When his brother didn't respond Damon hammered at him. "What, Stefan? What is your plan? Are you going to let all the feelings in so you can be with her? Wouldn't she have a great life living with a suicidal, pain filled vampire?"

"I haven't thought it out yet." Stefan responded, idly running his hand over the rough stone wall he was sitting on.

"You haven't thought it out yet," Damon mimicked sarcastically. "So when do you intend to think it out, not that either one of our plans has ever been worth anything?"

"Enough. I'm not listening to you anymore." Stefan jumped off the wall, only to be picked up and slammed down hard back in his seat.

"You are NOT leaving until I say so." There was no softness in Damon's face or demeanor. Damon regarded him for a moment and then said, "This is how it's going to be, Stefan. You are staying here and hopefully we will get you back with Rebekah and in with Klaus. Sage says that with that connection and her ties with the Mikaelsons we will be part of the ruling group. We will help you keep yourself in control, by which I mean no more killing sprees."

Stefan looked at him in disbelief. "Are you crazy? I love Elena."

Damon pushed himself off the column he was leaning against and walked over to his brother and slapped him so hard he nearly knocked him off the wall. He stood over him while Stefan braced himself off the wall, using one hand to wipe the blood from his mouth.

"Stop with the 'I love Elena' crap. Face reality, Stefan! Klaus will not let us near her. There is no way to fight him. No oak trees, no Original witch, no spells. He has won and you have lost."

"I lost?" Stefan looked at Damon. "Not we lost? I thought you loved her too?"

"I thought I did, but I was mistaken. Besides, Sage made me see reason. Elena liked me, not loved me, and she's human, Stefan, human. Humans belong with humans, and vampires belong with vampires."

"I don't even know who you are, Damon." Stefan pushed himself up to a sitting position.

"Well, I finally do know who I am, and I also know you owe me." Damon jabbed Stefan with a finger. "You turned me, and you have done all kinds of stupid things that I never wanted you to do, to try and make it up to me. Well, you can finally do something that means something to me. Is Rebekah so hard to be with? Is that such a big thing to ask? You seemed to like her well enough in Chicago."

Stefan was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke it was so soft Damon only heard because he was a vampire. "Once I go with Rebekah, I've lost her forever. It's really the end."

Damon looked at his brother pityingly. "Stefan, it has to end. You're just torturing her and yourself by hanging on to something that can never be."

Stefan's met Damon's gaze, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. His lips trembled as he acknowledged, "I know I should leave her. I've known all along. I just didn't have the strength."

"I know."

"I'll leave tonight." Stefan bowed his head.

"No. You won't." Stefan's head shot up when Damon said that. His brother continued, "You weren't listening to me. You'll stay, and you'll be part of our extended group. You're going to be our hook into the Originals."

Stefan searched his brother's face for any signs of leniency. There was none. He blustered, "You can't make me stay."

Damon didn't deign to reply. He put his hand on Stefan's shoulder and pulled him upright, using the other to ruffle his hair. "Let's go home. Sage is waiting for us." He shifted his grip to Stefan's upper arm and hustled him away.


	6. Sage and Stefan Talk

"Lucy, I'm home." When Damon was in a good mood he liked to mimic an old character on TV named Ricky Ricardo. There were very few people nowadays who got the reference, so he took advantage of the fact that Sage would.

He was pulling a reluctant Stefan by the arm, releasing him only when Sage walked down the stairs to meet them.

She didn't refer to Damon's lame impersonation, other than to roll her eyes. "I hope you don't mind, but I needed something to amuse myself while you went to pick up little brother, so I didn't wait for a guided tour. I LOVE the house." Sage was enthusiastic. "You did a marvelous job decorating; the furniture, the library, the accessories."

Damon looked chagrined. "Actually, it was Stefan."

An astonished Sage looked Stefan up and down before saying, "How can your brother have such excellent taste in furniture and such abysmal taste in clothes?"

Damon turned to eye his brother, who seemed taken aback by Sage's comment. Stefan looked down at himself. "He doesn't look that bad," Damon said fairly.

Sage walked over and yanked on his hoodie like it was something repellant. "What's this?"

Damon shrugged. "All the guys wear them."

"You don't." She pointed out.

"Yeah, well I'm a sexy stud, and I have to dress the part." Damon bragged good-naturedly.

Sage appreciated his humor but pointed next to Stefan's jeans. "Those don't fit him properly."

Damon made a face and said, "You know, Stef, she's right. You do look like a slob."

Stefan was outraged. "What I wear is my own business, not yours." He turned to address Sage. "Or yours."

"Actually it is," she replied. "You dishonor our family when you don't dress appropriately."

"Disho . .Our fami . . " Stefan was so upset, he sputtered and couldn't finish his words. He stopped and took a deep breath. "What are you talking about? You make no sense!"

"Hmmm! You and I need to talk." Sage turned on her heels and walked into the living room. Stefan tried to head for the staircase, but Damon grabbed him and hustled him after Sage.

She chose a sofa, part of a small grouping, with room for Damon next to her. Damon pushed his brother into an armchair in the same grouping, and then sat next to Sage.

She sat relaxed, studying the now surly vampire opposite her. He refused to meet her gaze, staring instead at his tensely clenched hands.

Damon, smiling slightly, divided his gaze between them.

She thought a moment and then tilting her head slightly said, "I think we need to understand each other, Stefan. We come from different eras, and we have different perceptions of what is fitting."

Stefan looked up at her briefly and then back to his hands.

"Your brother has agreed to be my consort, be part of a family with me. As he is the head of your family, you are therefore part of our new family." She spoke in a reasonable tone.

"You are not my family." Stefan was emphatic.

She twisted her lips. "You have no say in this. You are a younger brother, a second son. Your job, your place, your purpose in life is to support your family."

Stefan raised his eyes upward, shaking his head. "What about my life? What about my purpose?"

"How can you have so little knowledge of what is due your family?" She shot back. "I checked your family roots when I first met Damon. Your family was of the nobility back in Italy, minor nobility, true, but they were noble. Did you do what your father requested?"

"He was my father." Stefan's reply was sullen.

"And he's dead, and Damon has taken his place."

"He is not my father, and besides my father would never ask what you want."

"Ah, Stefan," Damon interceded, "your memory is very selective. Father was the one that arranged a marriage for you with the banker's daughter, so he could get a loan to increase the size of our plantation." He wagged a finger at his brother. "And you went along with it. The only reason you weren't married was because Katherine killed your bride."

Stefan clenched his jaw, upset that he couldn't refute what Damon was saying.

Damon and Sage exchanged a smile.

Stefan, knowing there was nothing he could say to Damon, turned on Sage. "What gives you the right to lecture me on what I owe to my family, which, by the way, you are not a part of?"

She sat up straight, her tone stern. "I was born into a noble family and was taught my responsibilities from the time I left my wet nurse. I was betrothed at twelve to a man forty years my senior. He had great influence at court and could advance my family. When I was fourteen I was sent to him as his bride. I knew it was my duty, and I did it. When he died my father arranged another marriage for me to an even older man. I went to court, and I used my beauty and my charm for any member of my family that needed my help. I never shirked my duty, and I expect no less from you."

Damon watched her intently as she spoke.

She tapped her long fingernails on the sofa arm. "You will help us, and we will help you. Damon has told me how much it bothers you that you kill. We'll get you back on human blood and won't let you kill. You will reunite with Rebekah. Stefan, look at me!" she demanded.

Stefan looked up, meeting her eyes. "You will stay away from the doppelganger. She is off limits to you."

Stefan looked at his brother. Damon just nodded. "We're together on this."

"Okay, I get it." Stefan stood up. "I've had a rough night. I'm going to bed."

He walked slowly out of the room and then flashed to the door, hoping to escape. Instead he found himself flat on his back on the floor, the point of Sage's high heel pressed into his neck. "Going somewhere?" she inquired.

Damon's laughter rang out. "Oh little brother, you are in such trouble." He walked over to his brother's prone body and grabbed him by the upper arm. Sage grabbed him by the other arm, and they marched him upstairs to Damon's bedroom. Damon threw him on the bed and then turned to find Sage's mouth pressed to his and her hands ripping open his shirt. He allowed her to slam him against the wall, at the same time helping her pull off his shirt. Stefan's attempt to dash out was ended as Sage, without taking her lips off Damon, pulled them both over and backhanded Stefan, knocking him through the air, back on to the bed.

She never took her eyes off Damon. He merely smiled and smirked. "I love a strong woman." Sage's eyes were hazy with desire. "I'm so glad." she purred.

She ran her fingers through his soft black hair and took his lower lip in her teeth, gently pulling it while unbuckling his belt, followed by his pants. "Hmmm," she mused. "I would have taken you for a boxer man."

Damon flashed her his sexiest smile. "I showed you mine. Do I get to see yours?"

She backed up from him and holding his eyes, slowly and provocatively undressed until she was down to a lacy red bra. Damon's eyebrows practically rose off his forehead. "No panties?" He choked.

"Surprise," was the saucy reply.

The two raced to each other ending up on the bed. Stefan tried his best to edge out of the way, making a move as if to leave, but a low growl warned him not to.

Sage quickly rolled Damon over and mounted him. "What is the thing that heightens all our senses?" she asked, timing her words to the rhythm of her thrusts. "What is the spice to our food? What brings everything over the top for our kind? Come on, Damon, don't fail teacher."

"Blood." Damon gasped through his heavy panting. "Blood."

"That's my boy." She threw her head back, heavy mane of dark red hair flying, and without stopping her thrusts, grabbed an unsuspecting Stefan. She pulled him over and sunk her teeth into his neck. Damon stopped moving, stunned by the sudden presence of his brother's body leaning against his chest.

Sage lifted her mouth from Stefan's neck, veins engorged, eyes black, mouth dripping red. "Trust me, you've got to taste him."

Damon searched her eyes and then lowered his mouth to his brother's neck, eyes going black, fangs elongating and bit. He picked up Sage's rhythm again, and they climaxed together.

She collapsed, rolling off him, a fully clothed, blood smeared Stefan between them. They lay exhausted yet exhilarated, waves of pleasure rolling over them.

When she could, she rolled up on one elbow and reached across Stefan, half laying on him to caress Damon's face. "Awesome, isn't it?"

"What a rush. Oh My God!" Damon was in raptures. "Why? How?"

"He's a ripper. Their blood is something special. Didn't you know?" She laughed at him.

"No, but I bet most vampires don't." Damon closed his eyes as his body contracted again with another wave of pleasure.

"The older ones know, but no one is going to touch a vampire that's part of Klaus's inner circle no matter how good his blood tastes." She ran the tip of her finger lightly over Damon's chest, making designs only she could see.

He grabbed her hand and kissed each one of her fingertips. "I never experienced anything like that."

She smiled at him. "You will, again and again."

A mischievous little smile crossed her face as she looked down at a groggy Stefan. "Help me undress him. There are many more places to get blood from than the neck. His clothes are covering the best spots."

Damon threw his head back, laughing. "You are a she devil.

"Thank you. When you're up to it we need blood if we going to have another round tonight, and this time I don't want to rush."

Damon's blue eyes sparkled. "You are going to be surprised at how quickly I'll be ready again."

They gorged on blood bags, stoking up their energy, teasing and encouraging each other until Damon was once again armed.

This time as he neared the height of his ecstasy, Damon found his mouth involuntarily opening, fangs protruding, lips peeled back, nostrils flared, eyes rolling. He panicked, not knowing what was happening, only to be calmed by a joyous Sage. "You're franking!" She threw her head back gasping and laughing at the same time.

"What? What?" a totally confused Damon asked.

"Franking," she explained. "It's what animals do when they scent a mate. It's actually quite a compliment to me."

Her acceptance eased his mind, and he enjoyed the sensations floating across his tongue, and the endorphins lighting little sparks in his brain.

Sage drank until Stefan's breathing changed to a hitch. She became still. "Stop!" she commanded. "Do you hear that?"

Damon, his eyes cloudy with lust, didn't appear to understand what she was saying. She dug a nail in under his chin, the intense pain causing him to snap out of his reverie. "Do you hear his breathing?"

"Yeah," he said, holding his chin.

"He's in pain. We took too much blood. We have to feed him." She reached over and grabbed a blood bag she had stashed next to the bed. She quickly ripped the stump off and grabbed Stefan by the head. He tried to turn from her, but Damon seeing him struggle held his brother's head still while Sage poured blood into his mouth. Stefan stopped fighting once he felt the liquid trickle down his throat. When half the bag was gone the hitching sounds stopped.

"Will he be okay?" Damon's face betrayed his anxiety.

Sage smiled and ruffled his hair. "Yes, I did that deliberately. You need to know his limits. It's just part of the learning experience. I'll show you how to work him so he stops fighting. Eventually he'll crave this."

Damon was curious. He idly ran his hand over the curve of her nude hip. "Doesn't it hurt him when we drink his blood?"

She watched his hand move over her body, her eyes half closed with pleasure.

"It's right on the cusp between pleasure and pain. You keep him on the edge and he'll learn to crave it. That's why I showed you how to recognize when you cross the line. You know I'm a great teacher."

Sage looked Stefan over and then smiled at Damon. "Feed him the rest of the bag, and we can play a little more. That is, if you're up to the challenge, Mr. Salvatore."

Damon smiled and grabbed her hand placing it on him. "What do you think? Does that feel up to it?"

They ended the night with the both of them drinking from the large vein at Stefan's groin, his blood mingling with their kisses.

They both lay exhausted on either side of a now unconscious Stefan, joining hands across his body. Damon was on the brink of sleep when Sage spoke. "I've waited so long for this. Always alone, watching others paired together, always on the outside looking in. Never being sure if I would be betrayed by those who were temporarily on the same side as me. Always trying to watch my back."

She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, her voice so sad that Damon frowned and got up on one elbow to stare intently at her. He had seen her in many moods, but never vulnerable. It was her number one rule. Never show your weaknesses. The fact that she would confide in him touched him more than anything anyone had ever said to him, and he knew with certainty that this woman loved him.

He stared into her eyes and promised. "You will never be alone in a fight again. I'll be with you." He stopped and looked down at his brother and confessed, "But I need him too,"

She got up also, mirroring his posture, resting her body on her arm, and one on his brother's back. She spoke softly. "Do you think I love you just for your beautiful blue eyes? And other parts?" She smirked and then spoke seriously again. "I knew before I even approached you that you loved your brother. That family was important to you. It's part of who you are, and I wouldn't love you like I do if you didn't care. The fact that you are honest enough to say that to me makes me trust you even more. We are a family, and he is now my responsibility as well as yours."

Damon pushed a piece of hair back from her forehead. A feeling like he had never experienced welled up inside him. The knowledge that he was loved as he was, with all his faults and shortcomings, with no expectation of him changing, healed something inside him that he didn't know was damaged until now. He swallowed before confessing, "You make me regret all those years I spent pining after Katherine."

She assured him. "Never regret. You needed those years on your own to mature and become your own person. I never wanted to overwhelm you and have you be my puppet. You had to realize this on your own, or you would have always regretted Katerina. Speaking of her, we're going to have to deal with her eventually."

He leaned back against the pillow. "No way. She's a pragmatist. She knows she can't beat Klaus."

Sage, still leaning with her head propped on her elbow said, "She'll come back for Stefan."

Damon startled, looked at her. "No way!"

"A very old, very smart Original vampire once told me that love is a vampire's greatest weakness. She will give up on revenge, but she won't be able to give up on love. She'll fight it, but she won't be able to resist. It's not worth it to go through eternity alone. The ache grows and gets so big you either appease it or it kills you." Her smile mocked not just Katherine, but herself. "I know, Damon, I know."

They fell asleep facing each other, hands linked over Stefan.

Damon woke up, to find Sage held in one arm, his brother in the other. He sighed contented, kissing the top of Sage's head. She woke up smiling and kissed him back.

She sat up, peering at the sleeping Stefan's rumpled head and examining the sheets. "Hmmm! White is so hard to keep clean."

Damon laughed. "Let's get cleaned up."

The two of them hit the shower, helping each other clean up amid much laughter.

Stefan started, and tried to jump up, only to fall back exhausted. He rolled over and lay on his back, listening to the sounds coming from the bathroom.

Damon and Sage came out of the shower each wrapped in one of the huge Egyptian cotton towels the vampire favored.

Damn noticed his brother had moved. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty's awake." Sage came over and sat on the bed ignoring Stefan's feeble attempts to get away from her. She felt his skin and looked at his eyes, appraising his status. "You need blood. Come down when you're dressed, and we'll get you fed."

She looked over her shoulder and beckoned Damon over. "Look at the color of his skin. See the gray tinge and how dull his eyes are. The green is usually brighter. You need to be aware of that."

Damon knelt on the bed, intent on learning what Sage was teaching him. He peered into Stefan's eyes. "I see what you mean."

Damon flashed over to Stefan's room and came back with a black wife beater and a pair of jeans. "He dumped them on the bed. Up and get dressed, bro. We got food downstairs."

Stefan was shaky, but he managed to make it to the kitchen. A huge glass of blood was waiting for him on the table. Damon and Sage both had a steaming mug of coffee and were talking quietly and comfortably together. They watched him come in without stopping their conversation.

Damon hooked a leg around one of the chairs and pulled it out for him. "Sit, bro."

Stefan looked at him reproachfully, but sat and rested his head in his hands.

"Drink," Damon ordered.

Stefan shook his head only to have his head pulled back and the glass forced into his mouth. He fought for a short time only to finally give in and drain the glass.

Sage leaning against the counter, watched approvingly. She put her coffee cup down and walked out into the living room. "Bring him."

Damon grabbed Stefan by the arm and stretched him out on one of the sofas.

"He needs more blood and a shower, but we'll fix him up when we get back."

Damon cocked an eyebrow. "And we're going where?"

"Take me into town. We need to go shopping. I need clothes, and so does your brother. I'm throwing out everything in his closet. Plus, we need to arrange for more rooms to be added on."

She responded to Damon's surprised look. "For the servants. I told you I was busy while you were talking to your brother. A contractor is coming by later, and a very dear friend of mine should arrive sometime today. And you need to get us a bigger bed."

He blinked stunned by her request. His eyebrows rose and he smiled. "Bigger than what I have?"

"There's some very beautiful women in the towns surrounding Mystic Falls. I think we need to try some of them."

Damon considered the notion. "You are going to be fun, missy."

She reached over and kissed him deeply. "Let's get started."


	7. Visitors At the Boarding House

Stefan lifted his head from the sofa when he heard the door open, and an unfamiliar lilting voice call out, "Hello there, anyone home?"

He unsteadily got to his feet and walked out into the hall, leaning against the wall.

He saw a young girl, perhaps woman, with red gold hair, pale skin, and a smattering of freckles across her nose. She would have looked wholesome except for the fact that her spiky hair was tipped with bright purple and her nose was enhanced or ruined depending upon your taste, by a diamond piercing the left nostril. Both eyebrows, the same red gold as her hair, were pierced with metal rings, and both ears had multiple piercings all around the rims.

"Who are you, and why are you in my house?" Stefan queried, his curiosity aroused by her appearance.

"Oh yeah!" she said. "You're as gorgeous as she said." She walked closer, clearly unafraid and peered up at him. "Green eyes," she said triumphantly. "They really are green."

He tried to move forward, but swayed and leaned back against the wall.

She turned and went back to the open door, calling out, "Bring em all in and line em up in the hall."

Two men carried and dragged in a large number of trunks and suitcases. She watched to make sure everything was present. Once she had audibly counted them she nodded her head satisfied, thanked them, and waved them out of the house. She then turned to a stymied Stefan.

"You don't look so good. Let me get you something to eat. Where's the blood kept?"

Stefan blinked at her. Clearly she knew about him, but how was the question. He thought about it and finally said, "You know Sage."

"Oh, you're a quick one, aren't you?" She rolled her eyes at him and asked again, "Where's the blood?"

He considered her request and then decided why not. "Some in the frig."

She picked up one of the bags that were inside the door and headed to the back of the house. He heard her wandering around, thought about following her, and then decided it wasn't worth the effort. He went back to the sofa, closed his eyes, opening them only when the girl returned, holding a glass of blood.

"Drink," she commanded holding it under his nose. The smell was so appetizing, and he felt so bad, he didn't even care that it was human. He couldn't summon the willpower to hold out for animal blood.

There was a funny taste to it, not unpleasant, just something he couldn't identify. He didn't let it worry him because it alleviated the hollow empty feeling in his stomach and eased some of the tension from last night's upsetting events.

"You need a bath." She wrinkled her nose at his still dried blood smeared neck. "Let's take care of that."

Damon and Sage pulled into the driveway to find a contractor's truck just pulling away. The driver rolled down his window. "I checked the place out and should have final plans for your approval by the end of the week. I left a rough copy in the kitchen." Sage leaned across Damon to thank the man. Damon alternated between amusement and resignation, knowing this was just the first of many changes coming with Sage's presence.

He walked in the door to find the hallway filled with trunks and cases. He raised his eyebrows at Sage, who responded, "I told you I was expecting a friend."

"Ah, I kind of assumed it was for a short visit." Damon ventured to say.

"Wrong!" Sage putting her finger on Damon's nose, teasing him.

Both vampires turned their heads towards the upper level at the same time and then looked at each other smiling.

They headed upstairs, following the sounds, and ended up in Damon's bathroom. They stopped short, confronted with a naked Stefan leaning back in a steaming tub, while a slim girl, softly crooning a soothing song, sponged his neck and shoulders. Smoke curled up from a plant burning in a crucible placed on the floor.

"Don't breathe in," Sage warned. "The herb she's using affects vampires."

The girl looked up and dropping the sponge, made a running leap into Sage's arms. "Sage!" She squealed.

The vampire easily held her and swung her around. "Sweetheart!"

Damon leaning against the wall, arms folded, watching with an amused smile, taking in the girl's rather wild appearance.

Sage, after exchanging loving hugs and a kiss, put the girl down, and said, "We need some introductions, but why are you using that combination of herbs in Damon's room?"

"Oh, I softened up my handsome friend in the tub with spiked blood and got him up here to clean him up. He wasn't very cooperative about stripping down in front of me, so I just whipped up one of my special spells. Didn't care this wasn't his room. I just loved this big tub. It's perfect." She wagged an admonitory finger and smirked. "I was wondering why he was so weak until I started washing off the blood smears. That's some very naughty places you took blood from."

Damon snorted and then walked around to look at his silent brother. Stefan's eyes were half closed, his face calm, relaxed arms resting on the edges of the tub. "Hmmm! May I take it that we are going to have a witch living with us?" Damon looked at Sage for confirmation.

The two girls smiled at each other. "Sinead Kearney, may I introduce you to my consort, Damon Salvatore." Sage continued, "By the way, the man you've been washing is his younger brother, Stefan Salvatore, but I think you figured that out."

Damon started to speak, but Sage forestalled him. "Let Sinead finish up with Stefan. We can talk downstairs. If we breathe in the herb combination she used, it can affect us." She turned to the girl. "Can you handle him?"

She smirked and bragged. "Haven't met a vampire yet that I can't. As soon as I get him to his room, I'll be down."

Sometime later Sinead bounced into the kitchen, finding Sage and Damon sitting at the table, plans laid out in front of them. She quickly went through the cabinets and the refrigerator.

"Hey, you don't have any food in the house!" she grumbled.

"Ah, vampires live here." Damon retaliated. "People are the food!"

"He's got quite the mouth, doesn't he?" She directed her remark to Sage as if Damon wasn't present.

Sage paid no attention to either of them. "Damon, Sinead is a very gifted witch. Her family is a very old one with roots in Ireland. She is blood bound to me and will protect our interests."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Blood bound to you? How does that work with being a servant of nature and all?"

Sinead answered him. "My family doesn't believe in that servant stuff. We work with nature, use nature, but we're more, shall we say, egalitarian. We see nothing wrong with using nature to our advantage. Sage saved my life so I owe her, but it's more than that. We're BFFs and I've thrown my lot in with her for good or bad. " She snickered. "I'd add in sickness and in health too, but I don't want to freak you out."

Damon looked at Sage. "Does she match the Bennett line? I wasn't always that impressed with them," he said disparagingly. "They were okay, mind you. I got a couple of whopper headaches from them and a real bad, shall we say barbecuing, when I pissed one off, but they actually died pretty easily."

Sinead looked interested. "I don't know any of them personally. All the families know something about all the other major families, and the Bennetts have an impressive rep."

"The ones he's talking about had the blood lines, but they didn't embrace their roots. The mother and daughter that aided Esther were conflicted, both denying their heritage at one time or another and not putting any real effort into it until it was too late. The grandmother was a force to be reckoned with, but she died early for a witch," Sage explained.

"Now, that's just plain wrong. If you want something you have to work at it. Not that my family didn't try to strengthen the blood. Me mem and me da married to strengthen the line." Sinead commented while opening and closing the cabinets, hoping against hope she had missed something she could eat. "Any chance of take out?" she asked plaintively.

Damon reached over and threw a phone book at her. "Thanks!" she said sourly.

Sage smiled fondly at her. "Sinead studied and practiced from the time the moon first called forth her womanhood."

Damon scrunched his face up and said, "Will you speak English?"

Sinead explained, "She's talking about my period. You know, the time of the moon."

"Oh God! TMI!" Damon complained. "I don't care and I don't want to hear."

The two women exchanged looks and went off into peals of laughter.

Sage got up and went over to stand behind Damon, wrapping her arms around his shoulder and kissing his head. "My poor, Damon. There are women in the house now. Get used to it."

"Just no whining. I've had enough of that listening to my brother," he ordered.

Sinead rolled her eyes and picked up her cell phone to order Chinese. "Awesome. They deliver."

"While you're waiting, let me fill you in on what's going on and what's at stake." Sage sat back and talked clearly and concisely for quite awhile.

Damon hadn't been impressed with Sinead's appearance, but he soon revised his impression of her. She immediately grasped the situation and outlined what she had done. Damon was informed that his cable and internet service would be upgraded tomorrow, her room was acceptable for now, but would have to be redecorated eventually, and a sixty inch flat screen TV would be delivered in two days. She made suggestions on how she could help get the ripper under control. Sage nodded approvingly at her plans for Stefan.

They heard the door bell ring, and Sinead popped up. "Thank God. I'm starving." She stuck an open hand in front of Damon, pointing to it with a finger of her other hand. "Money, I need money."

Damon sighed and reached into his pocket. "Don't tip big."

"Cheapskate," Sinead called out as she ran to the door.

She opened it to find a beautiful brunette with great big brown eyes. The teenager looked taken aback by the presence of Sinead, but softly said, "I need to talk to Stefan?"

Sinead, expecting the delivery man, was as surprised as Elena.

There was a whoosh and Stefan was down the stairs, only to be intercepted by Sage who pinned him against the wall. Damon was suddenly next to Sinead, moving her aside so he faced Elena.

"Hello, Elena," Damon softly growled.

Sinead gasped and put her hands to her mouth. "Shut up! It's the doppelganger!"

"Elena." Stefan pushed against Sage in a futile attempt to free himself.

"Stefan." Elena attempted to go to him, only to be blocked by Damon's body.

"You don't belong here. Go home." His face was hard, his body stiff.

"Let me talk to him, Damon. That's all I want," she pleaded.

"No." His tone said this was nonnegotiable.

"Damon, please!" Stefan's voice was constricted by Sage's elbow crushing his throat.

"No. It's over. We are out of it." He shot over his shoulder to his brother. Elena attempted to sidestep around him, but he quickly blocked her path, never touching her. She tried to push against him, but he was immovable. "Go home and be a human, Elena. You got what you wanted."

"Damon, how can you be so cruel?" She looked at him like she didn't know him, eyes filling with tears. "At least let me say goodbye!"

"What part of 'no' do you not understand? No is negative, as in Not, as in no way."

"What did I do to you, that you hate me?" She searched his eyes, trying to understand his attitude.

Damon's lips tightened. "The fact that you have to ask, tells it all."

Sinead had backed against the wall, her gaze going from a pleading Elena to a clearly suffering Stefan. Tears slowly tracked down his cheeks, and he appeared oblivious to the fact that his struggles had obviously dislocated one arm.

Elena noticed and put a hand to her mouth. "Don't hurt him. I'll go!" She made one last attempt to reach Damon. "Please help him. Don't let him suffer."

Damon turned to look at his brother.

"Hold him, Damon. I'll escort Elena back to her car." Sage noticing Stefan's alarmed expression reassured him. "I won't hurt her."

She and Damon switched places, and she motioned Elena outside. They walked in silence to Elena's car. "I'm Sage, by the way. I've known Damon for a long time. He and I have, I guess you would call it an understanding."

Elena looked her in the eyes. "I hope you make him happy."

Sage looked at her intently and then tilted her head. "You're not afraid of me."

Elena's smile was lopsided. "If you had any intention of harming me, you would be dead by now. We both know I'm special to Klaus."

Sage smiled. "You are correct. You are off limits, Elena. You will never be harmed." Her smile faded and she said seriously, "But, Stefan is not for you. You two will not be allowed any contact with each other. Accept it. You are guaranteed a human life and from everything I've heard that's what you've always wanted."

Elena stiffened up. "Are you so sure you can keep us away from each other?"

Sage's eyes narrowed. "Don't underestimate me, Elena. You are off limits, but your family and friends are not."

"Klaus won't let you touch my brother!" Elena was angry now.

"You have more family than Jeremy and yes, I know his name. You have cousins and a friend, what was his name? Ah, yes, Alaric." Sage's voice was cold.

"Damon would never let you hurt Alaric." Elena's voice was confident.

Sage threw back her red hair and put her hands on her hips. She was quick to issue a warning. "Don't underestimate my influence with Damon."

Elena glared at her and got in her car without speaking. If Sage didn't have vampire reflexes Elena would have hit her with the car as she pealed out.

Sage laughed and slowly walked back into the house.

When she walked in, Damon took his eyes off Stefan to look at her. Stefan immediately sucker punched his brother. "How could you do that to her?" he shouted.

Sage quickly stepped in and broke his neck. Damon, wiping the blood off his mouth, was pissed. "I can't believe I dropped my guard like that." Sage just laughed at him.

The door bell rang again. "That better be my food," Sinead said.

"I'll get it. Damon, bring Stefan upstairs. Sinead, keep him immobilized for awhile after he wakes up." When Sinead made a face Sage promised, "I'll bring the food right up."

Damon hoisted Stefan over his shoulder and carried him upstairs, Sinead following.

Damon dumped him on his bed while Sinead looked around the room. She walked around picking up some things, running her hands over them, peering at others. She found a bunch of bound books and opened them, looking at the handwriting. "What are these?" She caught Damon just before he walked out.

He rolled his eyes. "That is my brother's boring life story. He writes everything in those diaries. If you can't sleep at night, read them. It will do the trick."

Sinead looked them over and then picked up the current one. She opened a page randomly and read. "Today I met a girl." She settled down in a chair, turned on a light, and started reading. Sage brought up her food and Sinead smiled her thanks. She opened a container, split the chopsticks, and picked up the diary. She read late into the night, so totally absorbed she missed her mouth a couple of times, dumping food in her lap.


	8. An Invitation Arrives

The following morning brought a handwritten envelope addressed to Sage and Damon. Damon walked into the kitchen where Sinead was eating leftover Chinese for breakfast, and Sage and Stefan were drinking coffee.

Damon, slit open the envelope, leaning against the counter to read it. "Another party?" he grumbled. "Wasn't the last one enough for him?"

He looked up to find Sage and Stefan staring at him, obviously waiting for an explanation.

He waved an invitation. "It's from Klaus for a formal party this Saturday. You and me, Sage, and Stefan and a guest."

"Tell him thanks, but no thanks." Stefan got up to pour himself another cup of coffee.

Sinead spoke around a mouthful of food. "I'd like a cup."

"Don't speak with a full mouth. It's gross." Stefan, nevertheless poured her a cup and plopped it down in front of her.

"Yeah, whatever," was the unconcerned response from the witch.

Sage ignoring the conversation between the two of them, spoke to Damon. "Wonderful."

"Klaus wrote at the bottom that Rebekah will be back in time for the party," Damon said, walking over to hold his cup out to Stefan. Stefan just looked at him and then put the coffee pot back on the hot plate.

Damon said, "That was childish."

"Yeah, whatever." Stefan response made Sinead giggle.

Sage thought for a moment. "Sinead and I will need gowns. Do you have tuxes?"

Damon confirmed, "We do, and I must say I look like a handsome stud in mine."

Sinead rolled her eyes, while Sage said, "Does your brother's fit?"

Stefan stubbornly interjected, "I'm not going." That resulted in Sinead's plaintive whine, "Then I won't have a date."

Damon and Sage totally ignored them while Damon replied, "He actually looks really good in his tux, but we can both get new ones if you want."

"We need to make an impression, not on the family, but on the others they'll invite. I don't know if any of the first, second, or third born will be there, but if they are then we want to shine." Sage folded her hands in front of her face, elbows on the table, thinking. "We have a lot to do." She shot a thoughtful glance at Stefan and sighed. Damon, peering over his coffee cup, followed her eyes and nodded his understanding.

Stefan looked up at them, suspicious. "You're going brother," Damon said amiably.

"Oh yeah, I got a date, I got a date." Sinead gloated in a sing song voice.

"And we need you to be, ah shall we say, sociable." Sage stared at him over her clasped hands.

Stefan leaned back, sipping his coffee, his eyes challenging hers. She didn't back down. Sinead and Damon looked at each other and their eyebrows rose simultaneously. She snickered and looked away.

Sage, still holding Stefan's eyes said, "Let's go people. We're going shopping."

The week flew by quickly, filled with shopping trips, introductory visits to the mayor and other important Mystic Fall's notables. Plans to build servants' quarters at the back of the house had to be approved, Sinead's bedroom redecorated, and various other innocuous tasks completed.

Sinead and Stefan spent part of their evenings reading books. She was fascinated with his diaries and devoured them. He had objected at first, but soon got tired of suffering aneurysms when he tried to take them from her. He resorted to commenting on the fact that she was inconsiderate and rude, which bothered her not at all.

His nights were spent in Damon's bed. As Sage had predicted Stefan was caught between craving the sex and the bite and anger at being used by the two of them.

Before they knew it, the night of the ball arrived.


	9. Party Time

Damon, very dapper in his tuxedo, drove with an exquisitely gowned Sage sitting next to him in the front seat.

Sinead was practically jumping up and down in the back seat. "OMG – I look so awesome. " She clearly loved the purple shaded gown she had picked out.

Damon glanced briefly in the rearview mirror and then over to Sage in the passenger seat. They exchanged amused smiles and he said, "You are definitely something else." He really did think she was looking her best. Sage had carefully applied her makeup and the purple complemented the tips of her hair and even with the body ornaments and a few exposed tattoos she looked great.

She continued in her lilting voice. "My date is soooo handsome. You're awesome looking, Damon, but your brother is something else. I love green eyes."

Sage turned halfway around in her seat to look at a sullen Stefan, staring out the car window. "He is handsome, but perhaps not the most cheerful date you could have had."

Damon uttered a little laugh and once again glanced in the rearview mirror, taking in his brother's stony face. "Now, that's an understatement if I ever heard one."

Sinead waved away their comments. "I don't mind that. He's like one of those brooding romantic heroes I read about in my novels. You know, the strong silent type, that is so sad because he's been hurt before, but the heroine comes along, and he realizes that she's different, and she makes him want to live again and protect her, and he doesn't care what her family or any of his friends think, he just loves her and she makes him smile, and all the others girls are so jealous." Sinead spoke without taking a breath, leaving Damon bewildered.

He shot a glance at Sage, looking for an explanation.

The red head smiled and elaborated. "Sinead loves historical romances. You know where two people, always of the nobility or good family, meet each other, and overcome all kinds of obstacles to fall in love. Their first kiss is so wonderful and passionate that they immediately know they love each other."

"Oh yeah," Sinead bubbled. "That's all it takes, one kiss, and they live happily ever after."

Damon's look caused Sage to go off in gales of laughter. "And, Damon, here I thought you were romantic." She managed to say it between giggles.

"I'm romantic. I'm just not an idiot." He shook his head in disbelief.

"It's true! It happens!" Sinead insisted and took Stefan's hand, rocking to the music in her earphones.

Stefan paid no attention to her.

"This is so exciting. This is how I wanted to live! Going to parties all dressed up with a handsome man. Thank you, Sage."

Once again the redhead turned in her seat. "I promised you a good life, and I'll give it to you. Just don't get too possessive with Stefan. Remember, he has a role to fulfill and remember what I told you about the Lady Rebekah. It is very important that she take a liking to you." Sage was firm. She had schooled the young witch very carefully, wanting her to make a good first impression.

Sinead nodded, her expression serious. "I won't forget. I know what we hope to accomplish, and I'll do what it takes to make it happen."

Sage's smile was satisfied. "I have confidence in you." She turned to Damon. "You all set."

Damon casually reached a hand over to caress her face lovingly. "I know my part."

She leaned back satisfied. "We should be successful."

Damon pulled the convertible into the driveway of the Mikaelson mansion. A parking attendant flagged him down and opened the door handing him a ticket. "I'll park your car for you." Another one opened the door for the ladies and helped them out.

Damon pocketed the stub in his tuxedo. "They take care of everything, don't they?" Sage just pursed her lips at him in a 'I told you so' smile. He put an elbow out and she hooked her arm through it.

Sinead grabbed Stefan's arm and wrapped both of hers around his. He looked down at her and gave a resigned sigh.

They were met by a butler who requested their names. He then turned and announced, "Lady Sage and Mr. Salvatore, Miss Sinead Kearney and Mr. Stefan Salvatore."

Rebekah broke the receiving line with an excited squeal, "Sage!" and threw herself into the vampire's arms. The two hugged with real pleasure and kissed quickly. "It's so good to see you. Nik told me you came to visit."

Klaus broke in, gently admonishing his sister. "Rebekah, now is not the time to catch up. You can do that later in the party. We have many other guests arriving."

She looked apologetically at Sage who squeezed her hand warmly. Sage quickly turned and drew Sinead forward. "My Lord Klaus, may I introduce Sinead Kearney, a very good friend of mine and now Damon's." Sage emphasized the 'very' and all the Originals looked with interest at Sinead. She curtseyed gracefully. "My Lady, My Lords."

Klaus took her hand and kissed it, smiling so his dimples showed. "A real pleasure." Only to have her hand taken over by Kol, who also kissed it. "Not as big a pleasure for you as it is for me." His eyes flirted with her. "You will save me a dance, won't you?" She almost giggled, she was so excited.

"As many as you want. You're so handsome." As soon as she blurted that out, she put her hand over her mouth, totally embarrassed, her fair skin blushing pink.

The others all laughed, Kol looking extremely pleased.

Sage quickly looked around. "We're holding the line up. We'll talk inside."

Damon shook hands with Klaus and Kol. Stefan, hanging slightly back from the others, made no move to shake hands or say hello, just walking by silently.

"That's not very polite." Rebekah scolded.

"Whatever." Stefan's response displeased her, but made her brothers laugh.

"He is such a grump," Klaus whispered as he turned to greet the next guests with his charming smile.

When all the guests had arrived, the Original family moved in to mingle with their guests. Champagne and various wines and liquors were offered to the guests as an orchestra played.

Sage recognized many of those invited and introduced Damon to the vampire guests as her consort. She had filled him in on those she thought would be present, giving particulars on who would be neutral, friendly, or competitive towards them. Damon enjoyed verbally sparring with those who challenged him. His wits were always keen, but it was a true contest with some of the older ones, and he enjoyed the give and take. No one was able to best him in the verbal sparring, and he relished his victories.

Sage was one of the most beautiful women present, vampire or human, and she was almost universally admired. He looked across the room at her at one point during the night, to watch her divide her time between three admiring men, directing the conversation, making sure all three felt they had her complete attention. She felt his eyes on her and glanced warmly at him for a moment. He raised his glass in a silent toast, feeling blessed to know that she chose him. Klaus startled him when he whispered almost in his ear, "She is a treasure."

Damon looked at him briefly and then turned his head back to Sage. "That she is."

Klaus and Damon stood watching her for a moment longer and then their attention was wrenched away when they overheard a sullen Stefan say, "Why are you bothering me, Rebekah? What's the matter? Don't have anybody now that my brother's banging the redhead?"

Damon winced and muttered, "Oh God, Stefan."

Klaus chuckled and raised his eyes heavenward. "And he used to have such polished manners back in the twenties."

They watched as Stefan clutched his forehead in apparent pain, hearing a stern Sinead chide him. "Stefan, the Lady Rebekah wants a dance. Be a gentleman."

Rebekah smirked as Stefan straightened, first casting an angry look at Sinead, and then offering his arm to the Original. He stalked off with her to the dance floor, dragging rather than escorting her.

Klaus, stopping a passing waitperson to grab a small lobster appetizer, remarked—"Witches are such useful creatures"—before popping it into his mouth.

Damon, when the tray was offered to him, also took one. He remarked, "That they can be." He tasted the treat. "Wow, these are awesome."

Klaus nodded agreement. "My chef is from Vienna. I found him on one of my travels, and when I decided to settle here, I brought him over." He looked down at his champagne glass for a moment and then looked up, watching the crowd. "Life has a lot to offer, Damon, if you know how to enjoy it. You're intelligent. You have good taste." He looked him in the face. "You can easily mingle with the brightest and most interesting people of this age."

Damon looked back at him. "I'm enjoying myself. I like the conversation, I like the excitement."

Klaus smiled and put an arm on his shoulder. "There are fun times to be had, Damon. I look forward to seeing the world without constantly glancing over my shoulder, wondering when it's all going to end. I want to be where the action is in every age. And I like people around me that appreciate the wonders that they see."

Damon raised his glass to him. "To the future!"

Klaus raised his also and they drank together. Klaus sighed and said, "Now I just wish your brother had a better attitude."

Damon hesitated, but before he could speak Klaus said in a normal tone, "Sage, dear."

The vampire adroitly disengaged herself from her current conversational group and slipped quietly through the crowd to face Klaus.

He mouthed words in an ancient tongue. "Does your little witch by any chance know a silence spell?"

"She does, and she would be happy to help you in any way she could," she promptly replied barely whispering the words in the same tongue.

"Meet me on the second floor, the little antechamber." Klaus mouthed the last in the ancient tongue and then switched to a normal speaking voice to say in English, "Come with me, Damon." Klaus put a hand on his back gently urging him forward.

Damon shot a look at Sage under his brows and she nodded reassuringly, a 'cat licking the cream' smile on her face.

The two men walked up the grand staircase to a small comfortable room, where if Damon had only known, Esther first plotted with Finn to kill her children. Klaus motioned him to a chair and walked over to a decanter and glasses. "Brandy?"

Damon nodded and Klaus served him. Sage and Sinead walked in then, the witch taking in everything.

"Little darling, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor?" Klaus politely inquired.

"Sage told me you want a silence spell. I can do that for you if you have the proper—oh, it's all here." Sinead caught sight of Esther's abandoned herbs and amulets.

"Thank you, love." All three vampires watched as she competently and efficiently performed the ritual. When it was complete she offered without prompting, "It will last an hour. I leave you to your conversation, my Lord." She gave a little bow of her head like Sage had taught her.

Klaus smiled approvingly and nodded thanks to Sage, who also bowed her head and turned to leave.

Klaus spoke before Sinead made it out the door. "I like to thank those who help me. Is there anything I can give you?"

Sinead hesitated and then grimaced. "No, that's okay."

"What?" Klaus prompted, seeing she was torn.

"It's too big!" Sinead confessed. "It wouldn't be right."

Klaus laughed, charmed by her naivety. "Tell me, and perhaps we can find a way for you to work it off in the future."

Her eyes got large and she burst out, running all her words together. "A little red sports car like Stefan has I would look so good in it, and I could drive around in it, and everyone would look at me, and I would be the bomb, and it would be so cool."

All three of the vampires laughed and Klaus promised, "It will be delivered to you as soon as I can arrange it."

"Oh, Oh, Oh, Thank you. Oh, Thank you."

Sage grabbed the babbling girl by the arm, rolling her eyes in apology to Klaus, and pulled her out the door, shutting it firmly after her.

Klaus sat, bourbon in hand, across from Damon. He stared at him thoughtfully, running a hand over his chin. Damon, recalling Sage's lessons, stayed calm and relaxed, letting the Original gather his thoughts.

"We started off badly, and I want to repair that," Klaus finally said. Damon gave him his full attention, staying serious. Now was not the time for any of his witticisms.

"My desire to not be alone has been the focus of my life up to now." His eyes looked beyond Damon, possibly into the past. "I spent a thousand years concentrating on breaking the curse, making more of my kind so I would never be alone." He gave a half laugh. "What is it they say? You want what you can't have, and then once you get it, it's loses its value. Now that I succeeded and created my hybrids, I realize that what I really wanted was my family. My brothers and sister."

Anger hardened his eyes and face, making him look vicious. "My mother, may she rot in eternal hell, has managed to thwart me once again. My older brother is consumed by guilt. And my so called father, who I hope is damned for all time, forced me to interfere in my sister's life and ruin it." He brooded for a few moments while Damon waited patiently.

"I love those two best of all and maybe Elijah even a tad more." Klaus, his eyes clouded with pain, looked up at Damon again. "Much as he respected our father, he stood up to him to protect me whenever he could. He supported me through the years, tolerating my every whim, working towards my goal. I turned on him over Katerina, even though he did not consciously betray me. I started the war between us, but he came through for me in the end.

"He didn't want to kill our mother. If it had just been him he would have died instead." Klaus was solemn. "He killed her for us, for his siblings, and he hates himself for it."

Klaus, shrugged, and drained his glass. He made a move to get up for a refill, but Damon forestalled him by getting up and pouring more for both of them.

Klaus said, "I'm woolgathering here. But I wanted you to know what's important to me." He leaned back in his chair. "You and Stefan remind me of Elijah and me. Always at odds, but always there for each other when it counted."

Damon shook his head ruefully. "Stefan and I have put stakes in each other more than once, but we always manage to miss the heart."

Klaus laughed heartily at that. "I want Elijah back, and I want my sister happy. You and your brother can help with that."

Damon looked puzzled. "Sage and I will do everything we can to get Stefan back with Rebekah." He then said uncertainly, "Is that what you meant?"

Klaus said. "There's more." He paused and seemed to pick his words carefully. "You are young when compared to us. We have different notions of what is appropriate and so called normal." He stopped and frowned. "Elijah needs . . he needs companionship besides his family. We all do. I don't want him with Elena. I am afraid of what that could precipitate."

Damon's expression hardened. "Neither Stefan nor I will be going near Elena, I can assure you of that."

Klaus waved a hand. "You misunderstand me. Elijah needs a distraction. I think Katerina could be that distraction."

Damon's eyes popped open wide. He made several incoherent noises in his throat before blurting out. "You're kidding?"

Klaus was totally amused at Damon's shocked expression. "I know it seems strange to you, but he does care for the doppelganger and your help in capturing her would be appreciated."

Damon thought for a moment and then said, "I will help in whatever way I can."

Klaus smiled broadly. He hesitated and then said rather shyly, "If you can, I wish you would put in a good word for me with Caroline. You are her sire, after all."

"I am her maker, but she's not sired to me. Actually I think she hates me. She looks up to my brother," Damon admitted sheepishly. "I tried to stake her when she turned and almost killed her father."

"Oh," Klaus said. "Let's not have you talk to her then." He mused. "So, she cares for Stefan." He smiled mischievously. "So, do I." He looked at Damon. "Do I shock you?"

Damon shrugged. "You would have if Sage hadn't already said it."

Klaus laughed and stood up. "Thank you for talking with me, Damon. I think our families will mesh well together."

The two left, talking amicably, and headed downstairs.

They parted at the foot of the long staircase, Damon heading off to find Sage. He walked confidently up to her only to be rudely grabbed by a blonde, hard faced woman and yanked around to face her. He knew from the strength of her grip that she was a vampire and an old one at that. "So this is your pet, Sage." She looked him up and down. "I think I'll give him a try." The look was deliberately offensive, and Damon's eyes narrowed to slits, ready to do battle. Before he could reply, Klaus was at his side.

"Cassandra, you offend my guest." Klaus was deadly serious, his face stern and his tone ice cold. The woman immediately released Damon's arm, stepping back from him. "My sincere apologies. I did not mean to offend you." She bowed her head to Damon, Sage, and lastly Klaus and backed carefully away.

"My apologies for my guest. She will not be invited back." Klaus spoke in a normal tone, but both Sage and Damon knew every vampire present had heard him and now understood that they were off limits.

Sage pressed his arm, gratefully. "Thank you, my Lord."

Damon, well aware that Klaus had deliberately championed him, met his eyes. "Thank you."

Klaus smiled and walked away to speak with another guest.

Sage linked arms with Damon, her face confident, bordering on arrogant, only the tiny squeeze she gave his hand betraying her relief.

She had discussed their strategy with Damon prior to the party. It was a risk to bring an uncontrolled Stefan to the party. If he caused a disturbance or betrayed the fact that he was no longer in favor with Rebekah it could precipitate a scene like the one that just occurred. Sage was confident that they could overcome it, if none of the Originals intervened, but it would be a setback. If one of the siblings did stand up for them then their status was assured. She had outlined the situation and then looked to Damon for his input. "This is a joint decision," she had said.

"I'm a risk taker." He had thrown back at her. "Always have been, always will be."

She had smiled and nodded at him. "We go for it. Stefan comes."

And their risk had paid off. Sage disengaged Damon's arm when she found Sinead and linked her arm through the witch's. She gave Damon a significant look, and he knew she was starting the next phase of their campaign. He blew her a kiss, having complete confidence in her.

"Sinead, would you mind taking a stroll with me." Sinead smiled, knowing something was up. The two walked around until they found Rebekah and Sage asked, "Can we go somewhere and catch up on old times?"

Rebekah nodded and the three went upstairs, ending up in the same study that Klaus and Damon had sat in.

Sage turned to the witch and asked, "Would it be too draining for you to do another silence spell?"

Sinead looked offended. "I'm insulted that you would ask. First of all, I'm not some crickey amateur witch, and secondly, you're part of my posse, and I would do it even if it did drain me!"

Sage laughed. "I beg your pardon. I was just trying to be polite. You are the strongest witch I know, and I have great faith in you."

Sinead, mollified by the apology, quickly set the spell and left.

"Posse?" a confused Rebekah asked.

"I'll explain later, but I need to talk to you." Both women sat in the same chairs occupied earlier by the men. Sage sighed and said, "We have always been as honest as anyone of us can be with each other. We both know great power brings great danger, and the first rule is to survive, but I need to know how you feel about Stefan. Are you done with him?"

Rebekah huffed. "Well, he seems to be done with me!"

"That's not what I asked." Sage knew Rebekah's pride was bruised.

Rebekah picked up a loose fold in her gown and twisted the material for a moment before bitterly saying, "No, I'm not over him." She suddenly spoke rapidly as if by finally admitting that she cared she could say everything else. "Do you have any idea what it was like to be so very happy with someone? To finally meet someone you knew was forever?" She got defensive. "And don't lecture me like Nik does about me going through dozens of men. I knew he was the one. I may not be a witch, but I have the feelings, I have the gut knowledge. Being a vampire did not take that away from me. I KNOW! I always know."

"I don't disbelieve you," Sage said soothingly. "I know you have the true sight. I've been around enough witches over the years, and I've seen you know things that no one else does."

"One day it was heaven and I'm ready to leave Nik for him, and the next day he's not the Stefan I knew." She was visibly upset.

"I have to ask another question, and please don't be angry with me." Sage's voice was kind. "Did he love you?"

"Yes, yes he did." Rebekah was angry now. "I felt it when he touched me, when he kissed me. I would catch him looking at me, smiling. Even when Nik warned him that I would get tired of him and dump him, not that I would have!" Rebekah's tone dared Sage to argue with her, but the vampire only gave her a sympathetic look, so she continued, "He told me he loved me, and he would stay with me as long as I wanted him." Her face screwed up for a moment as she fought back tears. "I never got to tell him that I would never leave him. Damn Mikael and Nik. He never knew I got daggered because I loved him." She put her hand over her mouth to suppress a sob.

Sage put a hand on her other arm and squeezed gently.

Rebekah took her hand abruptly away from her mouth and pounded the arm chair. "And now nothing. He hates me."

Sage pursed her lips. "I don't agree. He hates himself and takes it out on everyone around him."

The two women exchanged glances. "I know it's hard for you, Rebekah, but think about what he's gone through. All his memories from your time ripped away. You essentially never existed. He finds this human girl who seems like salvation to him, and he falls in love. He's forced to become the thing he abhors again by your brother. He loses control, the one thing he prides himself on. He loves and hates his brother, and he has so much guilt over everything it's driving him crazy. And then add that Katerina wench egging him on. Well, what do you expect from him?"

"I know, I know, but I don't know what to do with him." Rebekah sounded desperate.

"Let me get him back under control." Rebekah smiled at Sage's ultra confident demeanor.

"You know, Sage, if anyone could, I think it would be you."

They grasped each other's hands and Rebekah confessed, "I've missed you."

"Well, provided both of us can stay on your brother's good side, we can be together again."

Rebekah's chin shot up, her eyes flashing. "Nik owes me, and he knows it. Don't worry about him."

They got up together and left the room for the party, Rebekah slightly in the lead. If she had bothered to look back she would have seen a very satisfied smile on Sage's face.

They came back downstairs to find that a deejay had replaced the orchestra. Sinead was beyond happy and tried to pull an uncooperative Stefan to the dance floor. She quickly gave up knowing she couldn't match his supernatural strength and switched to pleading. "Please, Stefan. I want to dance, and this isn't a club. I can't dance by myself or with Sage."

"And I should do this for the witch who gave me an aneurysm, why?" Stefan asked.

"Hey, there was nothing personal. I had my orders, and if you had followed yours I wouldn't have had to do it." She fired back, hands on hips. They kept their voices down so the humans couldn't hear, but several vampires in the area were smiling.

Stefan looked around and frowned. "Fine. Let's dance."

He pulled an excited Sinead out on the floor. She was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of many of the guests, having commented earlier to Stefan, "Wow, vampires don't bother turning people who aren't beautiful, do they?"

He had replied, "Hadn't thought about it, but I guess they only turn who they're attracted to."

She was suddenly overwhelmingly curious and asked, "Have you ever turned someone?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "At least I can still say I haven't done that."

She had felt somewhat at a disadvantage at this party because while she was considered attractive she knew she wasn't beautiful. The one thing she had confidence in was her ability to dance. She had learned her body at a very young age. A witch, who truly wanted power, needed to be aware and exercise great control over her body. Sinead's knowledge of self allowed her to let her mind go, and let the music direct her body. She was thrilled to find that Stefan was an excellent dancer. She caught sight of Damon and Sage on the dance floor. 'Talent runs in that family' she thought. She grabbed Stefan when a particularly sexy song that she loved was playing, only to have him take over and grind his groin into hers. She loved the feeling of his body against hers, his long fingers holding her hips, directing her movements.

"Oh, Sinead," she said to herself. "Get yourself under control, girlfriend. He's not for you."

They stayed until the early hours of the morning.

An exultant Sage waited until they were at least a mile out before she let out a whoop. "We were awesome."

Sinead laughed and made muscle arms, singing, "We will be victorious."

Damon was excited. "We did it, Stefan, even though you were a jerk." Stefan's total lack of response made Damon turn quickly over his shoulder to tease his brother more. His face sobered up and he said, "Stef, earth to Stef."

Sage, catching Damon's concerned expression, turned around in her seat to stare at an almost catatonic Stefan.

Sinead quickly said, "Don't worry. He was getting really cranky with Rebekah, so I drugged him, and I think I overdid it."

Sage, relieved, turned back around, and they spent the rest of the trip home reliving the party.


	10. After Party Time

As they walked in the front door Damon swooped Sage up off her feet. "Woman, let's celebrate!"

Sage looked adoringly at him. She never took her eyes from his, but offered, "Sinead, sweetheart, you're welcome to join us."

Damon looked interested, but Sinead said, "Thanks, but hello, four am and I'm feeling every bit of my humanity right now. And don't think about munching on your bro, or you won't be having much fun. His blood will NOT enhance your performance."

Sage ordered, "Go to bed, Stefan. I want my Damon at peak performance." He stumbled off to his room, rubbing his forehead, a little unsteady on his feet.

Sinead walked past Stefan's room to hers, waiting until she was sure Damon and Sage were occupied. "Jeesh," she thought. "They sure make enough noise."

She gathered a few things and tiptoed out of her room, quietly slipping into Stefan's.

He sat up in bed as she entered. He was easy to see in the moonlight, chest bare, dressed only in sweatpants.

She put her finger to her lips in the age old gesture for silence and tiptoed to the light patterns on the floor, made by the moonlight shining through the window pane. She wore heavy bracelets on her wrists, and she pressed them to each other in an invocation to the moon. She whispered words in an ancient tongue, raising her arms above her head and then making a circle with them.

Stefan watched her, one knee bent up, the other prone on the bed, arms bracing his upper body against the mattress. He heard her words clearly, but didn't recognize the cadence. He had listened to enough witches over the years and recently to Bonnie, but it didn't sound like the same language.

She completed her circle, and he felt a heavy feeling in his ears, like there was a weight pressing in on them.

She lifted her head slightly as if sensing something, and then smiled and turned to him. "We can't be overheard now."

At his look, she laughingly said, "There are many ways to tap into nature. The witches on this continent developed one way. Those from other lands found other ways. There's no right or wrong way, they're just different. Remember your Darwin."

He opened his mouth, but she forestalled him. "No, Sage doesn't know this way. I like it cause there's no herb smell to give me away." She said thoughtfully, "I am blood bound to her, so if she dies I die also, but that doesn't mean I give everything away."

She walked over to him, gently pushing his hair back from his forehead. He struggled to speak, but she put a finger on his lips, shushing him. "I've drugged you, and you're struggling against the effect. Relax."

She put a hand under his chin, searching his eyes. "It's progressing."

Stefan was surprised and jerked his head back slightly when Sinead slipped two fingers of her right hand under his upper lip and placed them on his canine teeth. He felt them bump against his gums in an involuntary defensive reaction, but she chanted quietly in that sing song lilt, and he felt them recede.

He put a hand up to his mouth to touch them. She brushed his hand away gently and then placed her wrist bands on both sides of his forehead, chanting softly.

He groaned as he felt a chill run through his body starting with his head and down to his toes. He felt momentarily drained and swayed slightly. She watched his reaction, a knowing look on her face.

"What did you do?" he mumbled. He felt like his head was swaddled in a layer of cotton.

Instead of answering she took his hands and urged him to stand. When he did she slipped his sweatpants down and then motioned him to sit back on the bed. He complied, thinking he should be concerned that he was naked, but he wasn't.

The witch climbed onto the bed and sat, legs crossed, next to him. "It will take awhile for the drug I gave you to overcome the weakening spell I just did, so I'll explain things to you while I wait."

"My family has a long history of interacting with vampires. We even have records of one kept as a lover for several generations. We know how to render them as safe as they can be, given their nature. My spells stop your fangs from coming out, and your strength is reduced. Me da's ma, a very powerful witch, said I was born to be a vampire's companion. Me ma and da knew when she spoke it was gonna be, no fighting it. They searched the family books and armed me best as they could for the life that was going to be mine." She laughed. "Sure nuff, I got myself into trouble and linked up with Sage. She plotted, no doubt, but she would never have caught me if I hadn't poked into things that shouldn't have been poked into. Born to hang, I think they call my kind."

She shook her head ruefully. "But I'm okay with the life. I can't fit into what they call normal. Always rebelling at school, never part of any group, no friends cause I was weird and made others uncomfortable." She looked at him. "Wanting things that with my looks and background I was never gonna get. Which brings me to you."

She reached over to rest her fingers on the knot on his shoulder where the muscles joined. A look of wonder was on her face as she ran her fingers feather light over his skin. "So soft." She spoke under her breath.

"I watched all those beautiful vampires at the party. I'm not one of them either. At best I'm called cute. Now, even your Elena is stunning. She got those big boobs and I'm flat chested and those curvy hips, and mine are narrow. Sage and Damon are just beyond stunning together. He's so beautiful he could be a model or a movie star if he wasn't a vampire."

The whole time she talked she traced the muscles in his shoulders and arms. "And that Caroline! The one Klaus likes . . she's with that hybrid and wow if he wasn't captain of the football team then I'm an idiot." She moved her fingers to his chest, continuing to talk while enjoying the feeling of his taut muscles. "You know my hair's a pretty reddish blonde, but when you compare it to Caroline's thick blonde hair or Sage's chestnut, it just fades in comparison. And it's on the thin side. I can't flip it around the way they do," she said totally resigned. "That Kol, he claimed his dance, but I notice he went after a town girl whose boobs were bouncing up in her face when she danced."

He fingers now trailed down his flat stomach, tracing the muscles ridges. He groaned softly, which made her smile. "Soon now." She continued with her soliloquy. "You know I would never attract a guy like you. You wouldn't see me in the herd. But that's why I want this life so I can have someone as beautiful as you." She looked him over appreciatively. "Your body is so gorgeous. Do you realize you are my ideal? I don't like really big men or bulging muscle men. And your face. That clean jaw line!" She stroked his face lovingly and then ran her hand teasingly over his groin, never quite touching him.

He made a sound like he was in pain and twitched half rising only to fall back to the bed again.

"What do you feel?" she demanded.

"I burn . . . I burn . . . . my skin is on fire." He gasped.

She rose from the bed and reached back to unzip the gown she still wore. She let the gown drop to the floor revealing she hadn't bothered with underwear. Her body was girlishly slender rather than womanly and covered with intricate tattoos.

She saw Stefan's eyes widen as he looked at them. "Part of the trade. I dedicated my body to my craft," she explained.

She walked over naked, except for her wrist bracelets, and positioned him on the edge of the bed, sitting on his lap, facing him, her legs extended on to the bed.

"There's only one way to stop the burn, Stefan, and I intend to help you." She covered his face with kisses, and he lifted his head as if trying to avoid them, which only made her smile. His body trembled, and he finally gave in to the need, his lips seeking hers, his hands reaching for her body. She opened her mouth to accept his tongue. She got up on her knees allowing his kisses to roam over her body, and when he finally picked her up and positioned her on him she was more than ready.

She rode him again and again throughout the early morning hours, until the fire running through his veins burned out. She collapsed next to him so exhausted she just wanted to rest for a moment before she returned to her room.

She closed her eyes . . . just for one moment . . . one moment only.

The bedroom door opened, and Sinead woke to hear an unhappy voice. "What did I tell you?"

She frowned and raised her head from a sleeping Stefan's chest to see a scowling Sage and an amused Damon. "Oh No! I was just gonna close my eyes for a few moments, and then go back to my room."

She watched Damon, arm around Sage's shoulder, wrinkle his nose, sniffing the air. "Good thing you didn't. I would have accused Stef of jerking himself off."

Sinead giggled. Sage walked over and gave her a swat on her bare behind, the force calculated to sting but not damage.

"Ow," protested Sinead. "I didn't hurt him."

"That's not the issue." Sage scolded her. "He's not for you. Don't go getting involved with him. I know how you are with those trashy novels of yours. You're in love with the idea of love. He's important to the family, and it's not your bed we need him in."

"I'm in his bed. He's not in mine." Sinead tried to sidetrack Sage by pointing this out, but the vampire wasn't drawn in by it.

"No word games, Sinead."

"Well, I don't regret it," was the stubborn response. "He was awesome." She snickered. "Hope your boy is as good as his brother."

Damon, casually leaning against the doorframe, arms folded, gave her a superior smile. "He's just a pale imitation of me."

Sinead scoffed as Sage said sternly, "If you remember, you were invited to join us."

Sinead, seeing Sage was upset, sat up, totally disregarding her nudity and assured her, "Don't fret. I just wanted to try him. I take our interests seriously."

Sage searched her solemn face and nodded. "Get dressed, and get lover boy something to eat."

Stefan stirred and looked around groggily. He moved to stretch and groaned. "Oh God. It feels like I got run over by a truck."

"Sorry. That's the after affect of the herbs. It'll wear off once you get some blood in you." Sinead consoled him as she hopped out of bed to pick her gown up off the floor.

Damon and Sage left. Damon opened his mouth and said in a worried tone, "Are you sure—" only to have Sage shush him with a hand over his mouth. She raised her eyebrows at him, and he nodded. They walked downstairs, and she grabbed his hand and led him outside. She urged him on and hand in hand they sped at vampire speed to a clearing away from the house.

"Say what you need to say," she invited.

Damon paced a little circle and then stopped in front of her. "I'm not sure I trust her. I saw the way she looked at Stefan last night, and when she was talking to us now she was stroking him without even being aware of it."

Sage surprised him by saying, "I trust no one but you, Damon. And I saw exactly the same thing you saw. There are layers upon layers of deceit and backstabbing and lies in our world." Her face solemn, her arms crossed, it was her turn to pace. "The closer you live to the center of power the greater the danger, the greater the chance of a double cross. We need powerful allies, and I chose Sinead carefully. She has the blood, the talent, the desire. I bound her to me with a blood bond. Do you know what that means?" She stood in front of Damon, hands on hips.

He frowned. "Not exactly." He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's pretty binding."

"It means if I die, she dies with me."

His eyebrows rose at that.

"I tied her as tightly to me as possible. It doesn't mean I can completely trust her however. I also took her as my lover, and I give her any material things she wants. You need to make her your lover too. If you can get her to fall in love with you, all the better." She grimaced. "It may be too late. Your brother seems to inspire love."

Damon shook his head. "Yeah, he does. "

"We'll have to watch her." Sage looked at him. "I warned you this would be complicated. We have to be ahead of everyone and always watch our backs. This can't be one of your harebrained, spur of the moment lame plans. This requires skill and foresight." She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. "Is it going to be too much for you? Do you regret joining with me?"

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "I regret nothing. I feel alive when I'm with you. I actually enjoy all this intrigue. I like pitting my wits against everyone else." He kissed her deeply. "Besides, even if I didn't enjoy it, it would be worth it for you."

"We need to get Sinead in bed with us, and Stefan back with Rebekah and Klaus as quickly as possible. We need to push hard." Sage was adamant.

"Well, then let's get plotting." Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her, which made her laugh. They headed back hand in hand, once again.


	11. The Brothers Hash It Out

Stefan stood in the doorway of the library, hands in his pockets, silently watching his brother. When Damon ignored him, continuing to type on the laptop, Stefan came into the room and sat in one of the old fashioned stuffed armchairs on the other side of the low coffee table. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together, eyes down, and patiently waited.

Damon gave one last keystroke with a flourish and interlaced his fingers. "Hah," was his satisfied exclamation. "That will big enough even for Sage."

Damon finally deigned to take notice of his brother. "I just ordered us a huge bed, brother. It will do Sage proud."

Stefan looked up at him. Damon thought he looked terrible. It had been three weeks of unrelenting pressure on him to give in and fall in line with their plans. He had been confined to the mansion, alternately drained to the point of agony, then resuscitated and kept on the edge of pain and pleasure until he didn't know what was what. As of four nights ago, Sage had him begging, and she said by all rights it shouldn't be long now before he cracked.

But the trouble was he hadn't cracked. He had reached down deep inside himself and somehow found the strength to resist. Damon, looking at his younger brother's face, was torn between anger that he would allow this to go on for so long and admiration for his sheer stubbornness; his total refusal to give up.

Damon knew by the set of Stefan's jaw that he wasn't here to give in. He had been vulnerable when Elena had come to visit, but he had stifled it and fought back against the three of them, vowing not to give in.

Stefan spoke resolutely. "I'm not doing this Dam—"

Damon was over the table in a flash, his left knee in Stefan's stomach, his right hand fisted tight in Stefan's hair, brutally pulling his head back over the arm of the chair.

Stefan, even when bursting with human blood, was not as strong as his brother, and now, in his weakened state, he made no attempt to defend himself, just blinked several times and turned his head as much as the tight grip on his hair allowed, resigned to being beaten.

He flinched when Damon gently ran the side of his left hand, down Stefan's face, soft over the yellow bruises his depleted body couldn't heal. Stefan's reaction forced a sad laugh out of Damon.

"Look at me, Stefan." Stefan looked at him, still blinking, expecting to be hit, but Damon just let go of his hair.

"This can't go on like this. Sit up." Damon pushed Stefan back to a sitting position and sat on the low table facing him. Damon eyed him for a moment and then said, "I need to remind you about a couple of facts that you've conveniently forgotten. You turned me not out of malice, but because you were afraid to be alone, and you instinctively knew you needed me. Got that? You knew you needed me to guide you."

Damon reached over and cupped his brother's chin. "You cannot win this. You're tough. Believe me, I'm impressed with you, but you can't hold out against us. Do you know why? Because you're floundering. You don't know what you want. You're fighting because you don't know what else to do, not because you have a goal."

Stefan just shook his head. "Maybe I don't know what to do, but I know I don't want this." His hand gesture indicated what was going on here.

"It doesn't have to be this way," Damon offered. "You are bringing this on yourself."

"Me?" Stefan demanded. "How can you say that?"

Damon stared at him unblinking until Stefan uneasily looked away.

Damon abruptly changed tactics. "Why won't you help me? You know what I want. Is it so much to ask that you be polite to the Originals and stay away from Elena? That's all I'm asking for now." Damon's voice hardened. "This is how it's going to be. No contact with Elena. She's on her own. I don't want her anymore, and I'm certainly not going to let her have you. Whatever Klaus decides to do with her, so be it."

He quickly cut off Stefan's protest with a pitying smile. "You do what I say, when I say it, and we'll just be fine. No more trying to get ourselves killed over a human, and a stupid human at that. We can have it pretty good, brother, and I intend to do just that. I intend to be with Sage and help her have the kind of life she wants." Damon stood up.

"I don't understand you. You give up Elena and everything you value in yourself to save me when I didn't want you to but then, when I discover a life I really want, you do everything you can to mess it up. Do you love me or hate me, Stefan?"

Stefan looked at the floor and then his hands and shifted in the chair, while Damon just patiently waited.

"I don't hate you," Stefan finally mumbled.

"Then I am asking you for your help, Stefan. Have I ever done that before? Asked you for help?"

Stefan looked at Damon then and shook his head. "I don't ever remember you asking me for anything since you turned," he admitted.

"Well?" Damon asked.

Stefan sighed and ran his hand over his face, defeated. "I'll help you." He could withstand any punishment they could throw at him, only to be disarmed by his brother asking for help.

Damon smiled and flicked Stefan's cheek. "Thank you. And don't worry, baby bro. I'll take care of you."

Damon looked him up and down before he left.

"Get some sleep, Stef. You look terrible. I'll wake you in a little bit, and we'll get some blood down you."

Damon walked away whistling to himself. Stefan leaned back against the chair, head lolling, exhausted. He thought, "I just can't think about this now. I'll sleep, and maybe it will all be a dream."


	12. Day With Klaus

Damon had spoken to Sage about Stefan's change of heart, and she had lost no time informing Klaus. The result was an invitation to Stefan to spend the day at the Mikaelson manor. Sage insisted on inspecting Stefan before Damon drove him over.

Stefan's mood was foul. "Are you crazy? Driving me? What? Am I a kid going out for playtime at the neighbor's house?"

"Yes." The three others responded together. Damon explained that Stefan could have his car back when he had earned his trust.

Damon had picked out a black shirt, and Sage had decided on one of the new jackets she had purchased for him. It was blue with a lot of tabs and buttons. Sage had expertly folded up the cuffs. His jeans fit him like a glove, tailored perfectly to his body.

"Are your nails clean?" Sinead's question earned her a particularly dirty look.

"I'm not a slob," was the cold response.

Sage and Sinead stood in the doorway smiling as Stefan slipped into the passenger side of Damon's powder blue convertible. Sinead whispered, "He looks gorgeous."

Damon got in, waving to the girls as he backed out. He glanced at his brother and then back at the road. "Thanks, Stefan. I appreciate this."

Stefan didn't bother to reply.

Damon started to say more and then realized that Stefan was not receptive to hearing anything, and the rest of the trip passed in silence.

Damon pulled up and turned to Stefan. "Call me when you want a ride home."

Stefan just got out of the car, closed the door, and walked into the house without a backward glance.

Damon sighed and drove away.

Stefan knocked on the front door. The butler greeted him. "Good morning, Mr. Salvatore. Mr. Klaus is expecting you. Follow me, please."

Stefan was surprised when the butler led him to a side door and motioned him to go outside. "Follow the path," was all he said.

Stefan went out and then turned around to ask where Klaus was, but the butler just shut the door. Stefan shrugged and walked along the paved path.

As Stefan walked he smelled a familiar scent, which brought the first smile in many days to his face. He couldn't believe it, but as he came around a bend he walked out into a clearing and there was a barn, a couple of corrals, and a riding ring. He stopped and inhaled the familiar smells of hay, horses, and manure. They were scents from his youth and for a brief moment a wave of homesickness washed over him.

"Get a grip," he told himself. "There is no home for you."

He looked over the area, but didn't see anyone. His ears detected movement in the barn so he walked around and went in. There were horses inside, and he approached the first box stall and stopped short. There was a coal black horse that was the spitting image of his favorite mare, Mezzanotte. He slowly walked forward speaking softly and soothingly. "Hey there."

The horse immediately nuzzled him, obviously looking for a treat. Stefan stroked her face and her elegant neck and breathed into the horse's nostrils, letting her get his scent. Stefan knew all the right spots to scratch, and the horse arched her neck in appreciation.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?"

Stefan's head jerked up, startled by Klaus standing so close to him. He had been totally absorbed in the horse and dropped his guard.

"She is," Stefan agreed. "Nice back." Stefan went in the stall and ran his hands over the horse's legs. "Good legs. Well set up."

Klaus leaned against the door. "I've missed riding. Now, that I've set down roots I hope to be able to enjoy it again." He watched Stefan stroke the horse. "Want to ride?"

Stefan thought about it for a moment and then smiled for the second time in a long while. "Yeah, yeah I do. Got a brush, and I'll get her ready."

Klaus laughed and walked over to a tack room, coming back with two grooming baskets, some old shirts, and gloves. He passed one set to Stefan remarking, "We're having lunch afterwards so cover up. Rebekah hates the stink of the stable at the table." Klaus stripped off his shirt and put an old barn sweater over his undershirt. Stefan removed his jacket and black shirt, hanging them on a convenient hook, and also pulled on an old sweater.

Klaus went to an adjoining box stall and started cleaning a black Friesian. Stefan looked over at the gelding and said, "Fancy looking."

"I'm partial to the breed." Klaus and Stefan worked in a surprisingly companionable silence, both efficiently brushing their horses clean and checking their hooves. The black mare had excellent stall manners, lifting her feet immediately when requested.

"Saddles?" Stefan asked Klaus when his horse was clean.

"In the tack room." Klaus pointed to the same room he had gone for the brush boxes.

Stefan went in and looked over the selection. Klaus had spared no expense on the tack. He picked up pads and selected a saddle that he thought would fit the horse, along with a girth. He quickly saddled the mare up, checking that it fit properly and didn't restrict her shoulders or pinch her anywhere.

Klaus, having gotten his own gear, looked over approvingly at Stefan's choice of saddle. He didn't comment, just gave Stefan a bridle. "This fits her."

"What's her name?" Stefan asked as he slipped the bit into the horse's mouth and slipped the bridle over her ears. He checked that the bit fit properly and then buckled her up.

"She doesn't have a name yet. She's here on trial, so I don't want to know the name since she may not stay."

Stefan took off the tack apron and moved the brush box outside the stall. He led the black horse out into the yard. Klaus followed leading his horse. They both checked their girths and then swung easily into the saddles.

Klaus said, "I want to ride through the woods and try and make or find some trails."

Stefan nodded. "Lead the way."

They allowed the horses to warm up at a walk. Stefan was quiet, enjoying the feel of the horse moving underneath him. Klaus was quiet also, glancing occasionally at Stefan, noting the relaxed face and body. They reached an old railroad bed after about fifteen minutes. "Up for a canter?" Klaus inquired. Stefan nodded.

"Be careful, there's rabbits and other small rodents around here. They may spook the horses." After saying that Klaus squeezed his horse, and it shot off. Stefan allowed his horse to follow, and they cantered along. Just as Klaus had predicted, a rabbit shot halfway out of a bush, stopped terrified and turned around. The black mare spooked, attempting to jump the rabbit. She went almost straight in the air and then took off. Stefan instinctively clamped his legs around her barrel and stayed with her. His laughter rang out as she bolted down the path. Klaus allowed his horse to follow, and they had a blast racing down the rest of the path. The two black horses were neck and neck until the path showed signs of ending, and the two riders pulled them up. The horses were blowing hard by this time, so they walked quietly off another path into the woods.

The two men were smiling, both having enjoyed their first real ride in years. Stefan patted the mare's neck as they wound their way through the woods. "Good girl." He turned to Klaus. "She is a really comfortable ride. You should keep her."

"If you recommend her, then I will," Klaus commented easily. He sighed contentedly. "It's a beautiful day."

Stefan looked around and found to his surprise that he agreed. "Yeah, it is."

"I like to ride most days when I'm home." Klaus kept his horse abreast of Stefan's so he could easily maintain a conversation.

"Have you been gone?" Stefan hadn't thought Klaus left Mystic Falls.

"There's work to be done, Stefan. " Klaus quizzed him. "Did you think because my mother and the Bennetts were dead that everything would be a paradise for me?"

"Who can challenge you?" Stefan turned in his saddle to look at him.

"There are always more witches who feel it's their duty to restore balance to nature, and some of our first born are very impressed with themselves. One can never rest on one's laurels, Stefan." Klaus played with the black gelding's mane. "There's always someone who wants to be number one. Plus, I need to track down my brother, not to mention Katerina. I want to pinpoint all the werewolves and—." Klaus smiled broadly. "One can never have too much money. Let's trot here." The path had widened, and there were no stones.

Stefan and Klaus both swayed easily in the saddle allowing the horse's movement to rock them. They were able to continue their conversation.

"I expect Sage and Damon to be a big help to me. Sage has always been loyal to my family, and I think Damon is going to work out well." Klaus looked over at Stefan. "What about you? Can you work with me?"

Stefan laughed, a tad bitterly. "If I remember right, that didn't work out so well last time. Didn't you spend an entire day breaking my neck over and over again?"

Klaus dimpled. "Stefan, you were trying to interfere with my doppelganger, and you lied to me. But I forgave you."

"That's not the question. The question is, have I forgiven you?" Stefan challenged him.

Klaus slowed his horse to a walk, grabbing the rein of the mare and slowing her at the same time. He pushed his horse closer and slung an arm over Stefan's shoulder. "You can't spend eternity brooding over wrongs you think have been done to you. It's unproductive."

Stefan stayed quiet under Klaus's arm, looking down, face stubborn.

They rode awhile, knees bumping against each other.

Klaus continued in a reasonable tone. "I forced you to be a ripper again. You hate it, but you're not killing now. Sage and your brother have seen to that."

Stefan's head jerked up, and he looked suspiciously at Klaus. "Yes, I told them to get you under control. I don't want you miserable," Klaus confirmed. Stefan didn't quite believe him, but he let the remark pass unchallenged.

"I freed you from my compulsion like I said I would when you saved me from Damon." Klaus frowned. "And I didn't kill your brother even though he stabbed me with the white oak stake. That wasn't part of any bargain. Damn that hurt."

Klaus rubbed Stefan's back. "Is it still Elena? She is safe and human, and she can live out her life without worry. Her relatives and friends are safe. She's not with Damon. What else, Stefan? Did you think you could be with her? I know you loved her, love her, but are you really good for her? Besides, I think she and that boy Matt are getting much closer, and you have to admit he's a good guy."

Stefan just shrugged out from under Klaus's arm and urged the mare ahead. He pushed her into a run, stopping only when she tripped on a stone. He walked her then, and Klaus eventually caught up.

"Please don't injure the horse because you don't like what I'm saying." Klaus deliberately chose that tactic knowing it would bother Stefan that he almost hurt something because he couldn't control his feelings.

"Sorry." He patted the horse's neck remorsefully.

Klaus once again grabbed the mare's bridle, stopping her.

Stefan looked at him. "What do you want?" Klaus asked him. "What will make you start thinking about living again, about the future?"

Stefan opened his mouth, and then realized he didn't have an answer. He shut it and just shook his head.

Klaus didn't press him for an answer. Instead he asked, "Isn't this your old plantation?"

Stefan looked around and realized that they had ridden to the old Salvatore buildings. "Yeah." He paused and then added softly, more to himself than Klaus. "This is where it all began . . . . and should have ended."

Klaus looked sharply at him. "Let's rest the horses."

Stefan nodded and they dismounted, loosening the girths and tying them up with enough slack so they could graze. The two men walked in, moving around the ruins still present.

Klaus remarked. "Strange that we're born so many years apart in almost the same place and tied together by the same girl born over and over again." He idly pulled up weeds as he walked, stripping the stems. "Brothers fighting each other over that girl, hating, yet loving each other."

He paused and then pulled Stefan around to face him, placing both arms over Stefan's shoulders. "We were meant to be together, Stefan, your family and mine. The coincidences are just too great. How did we meet in the twenties? Why? Why was Katerina in all our lives?"

Stefan just shook his head.

"We were friends once, Stefan. True friends. I took your memories to save you." Klaus shook Stefan gently. "I couldn't bring you with us, and you could never survive against Mikael."

Klaus continued solemnly. "You loved Rebekah. I'm sorry for both of you that I messed that up. But, I think you need to give us both a chance again." Klaus paused for a moment and then added, "You have to ask yourself if you're holding on to your anger because you're really angry, or are you holding on to it because if you let go, you don't know if you'll have anything left."

He shook Stefan again to get him to look at him. "I am not compelling you. I'm asking you."

Stefan searched his eyes, thinking about what Klaus had said. After a long moment he said, "Okay, I'll try."

Klaus smiled and slapped him on the back. "Let's get back for lunch. Rebekah asked the chef for crepes, and if we make her wait she'll be a bear."

Stefan couldn't help a little grin. "She always hated to be kept waiting."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "She hates everything lately. It's hard to be on her good side."

The two went back to the horses, tightening the girths, and mounting up for the ride home.


	13. Fun Times?

Klaus diligently typed on his laptop keyboard.

His back was to the door so anyone peeking into the room wouldn't see the suddenly sly upward tilt to one side of his mouth. He kept his concentration on the screen until his vampire ears picked up the slight whoosh.

He was ready and turned and grabbed Sage out of the air, pushing her to the rug, covering her body with his.

She accused between laughs. "You're getting old, Klaus. I almost had you."

He smiled confidently and kissed the tip of her nose. "I think not. I knew you were here long before you sprang.

"Sure you did!" Rebekah scoffed from the doorway, her wide grin taking any sting out of her words.

Klaus jumped up and extended a hand to pull Sage up even though she could easily get up on her own.

She danced around him shadow boxing. Her boastful, "I think I could take you," was met with amusement by the two siblings.

"What brings you here today, besides a desire to be beaten?" Klaus asked.

Sage dropped her hands and walked up and kissed Klaus. "I don't know what you and Stefan have been doing, but he is so much easier to live with now. He actually spoke to me this morning. Normally, if he has to communicate he growls."

That made Klaus laugh out loud. "So the broody one is loosening up?" He bragged, "I want you to know he's smiled four times in the last week."

Rebekah put her hand to her heart, saying in dramatic accents. "Stake me now. The end of the world is coming."

Sage mock kowtowed. "I am so impressed."

Klaus smiled and swaggered playfully. "Yes, it's true. I am the awesome one who can turn foul brooding vampires into just plain sullen ones."

Both girls laughed. Sage said, "We should celebrate!"

Rebekah clapped her hands. "Yeah, I want to go dancing."

Kol, alerted by the noise that there was company, came strolling into the room to add, "Lord yes. I'm bored. Let's drink and dance and feed on humans!"

Klaus tut tutted. "Then we have to leave Mystic Falls. Can't go eating the citizens. I may want to run for mayor, and I won't get any votes that way."

Sage piped up. "I know a place about a hundred miles from here. It's always got a band, dartboards, pool, and a bar Damon can dance on."

"That's perfect," Kol replied. "I need to practice these modern dances."

Sage danced around exuberantly. "I so want to get dressed and show off my handsome man. I love it when woman stare at him."

Rebekah pouted. "I don't have anyone."

A mischievous twinkle lit Sage's eyes. "Perhaps if we get Stefan drunk enough we can change that."

"Better get him really drunk," Kol teased his sister.

She went after him, but he quickly flew around so he ended up standing where his sister had been a second before. "Try for some decorum, Bekka. Your nastiness is showing."

She frowned at him, pursing her lips, hands on hips, and then turned to Klaus. "Are you going to let him speak to me that way?"

Klaus just rolled his eyes and ignored the two of them, speaking to Sage. "Let's plan on getting there at 9 so we can get in some pool and darts before the dancing starts. Are you going to bring the witch? She can help Two Left Feet Kol practice dancing."

It was Rebekah's turn to crow now, while Kol frowned at his brother.

"The crew from the Salvatore Boarding House will be there," Sage promised. She turned to Rebekah. "Show me what you're going to wear."

The girls left, and Kol looked at Klaus. "I still don't understand why they have to know what the other one is wearing."

"And we never will." Klaus went back to his laptop. "By the way, I don't care what you're wearing."

The two groups arrived within minutes of each other, Kol driving one car, Damon the other. They walked in the not yet crowded bar and spotted a table that was close to the game area and the dance floor. The fact that it was already occupied didn't matter in the least. Damon strolled over and charmingly compelled the group to find another table.

As they took over the chairs the waiter came over, protesting, "Hey, that other group was already sitting here."

Klaus explained that they were sitting here now, and that the waiter was to bring beer, bottles of scotch and bourbon and glasses for all. He also compelled him that when he signaled he expected immediate service. The waiter smiled. "Get yourselves settled and I'll bring your drinks right over." He hurried off to fill the order.

Sinead smirked. "I just l-o-o-ove traveling with vampires." She quickly pulled a small container out of her pocketbook, downing the contents with a grimace.

"What's that? The smell is atrocious?" Rebekah wrinkled her nose.

"Coats the stomach," Sage explained. "No way can a human match drinks with a vampire."

"Smart move." The vampire complimented her.

Damon, grabbing beer, pulled Stefan over for a game of darts, while Kol and Klaus headed towards the pool tables. The girls settled down to gossip.

They took turns switching partners, Rebekah boasting when she beat Kol at darts. Klaus gave his brother a hard time about it, but their attention was soon diverted when the band arrived and set up.

The evening was in full swing, with everyone dancing and laughing. Stefan was in a good mood, and took to the dance floor with both Rebekah and Sinead.

Stefan obliged Sinead with a dance when a song she adored came on. They had migrated away from their table towards the front entrance and Stefan twirled Sinead around only to confront Elena and Matt coming in. Matt's arm was slung over Elena's shoulder, and they were kissing as they walked in. Matt stopped short when he looked up and saw Stefan.

Sinead had her hand on his bare forearm, and she suddenly got a flash. She felt something pierce his heart, so painful she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. She sensed both the depth of his love and his despair, and it brought quick tears to her eyes.

Elena, startled by the abrupt stop, looked at Matt and then followed his gaze, gasping as she met Stefan's face. Her happy face transformed in an instant to regret.

Stefan's opened his mouth and closed it quickly, lips trembling, a muscle in his jaw twitching. Sinead watched the three of them; Matt hesitant, clearly wanting to protect Elena, Stefan struggling for control, and Elena so sad.

Stefan straightened slightly and lifted his chin. "I had just about given up hope on you. I didn't think you'd ever grow out of your bad taste in men, but looks like you're finally getting some sense."

Elena tilted her head, her eyes filling. "Oh, Stefan."

"She only picked one bad guy, your brother." Matt surprised Sinead when he spoke up. She looked him over, liking his blonde good looks and his beautiful blue eyes. His air of calm good sense impressed her even more.

"Sorry, we thought we wouldn't meet anyone here. We should go, Elena." Matt, nodded at Stefan and Sinead and gently steered Elena around. She looked back over her shoulder at the vampire, clearly wanting to say something, but not knowing what.

"Take care of her, Matt," Stefan called out softly.

Matt looked back at him, smiling sadly. "You can count on it."

Stefan jammed his hands into his jean pockets, watching them leave. He stood until Sinead, taking pity on him, shook him, saying gently, "Let's sit down."

Stefan walked back to a quiet table. The vampires had all heard the exchange. Damon looked positively livid. "Can't you keep her in Mystic Falls?" he snarled at Klaus

The hybrid simply shrugged. "That was unfortunate."

Stefan just reached for the liquor bottle and started drinking. Klaus pulled it away. "Use a glass."

Stefan shrugged, poured a glass of liquor, drained it, and poured another.

The mood was considerably dampened and no one, knowing it was useless, made any attempt to talk Stefan out of his binge. They all settled down to some serious drinking, listening appreciatively to the band.

When the night was almost done, Kol, ever the mischief maker, got that look on his face that told everyone that knew him to watch out. He drunkenly waved his glass, sloshing liquor, in the air, at Rebekah and Sinead. "So Sister Strumpet and Sinead Slut, you've had both the Salvatore Brothers. Which one is better in bed?"

Daman boastfully said, "Now don't embarrass my little bro. I guarantee you he was a virgin when Katherine found him. I had my first woman when I was fifteen." He flung his arm over Sage's shoulder and hugged her. "You got the man."

She kissed him and nuzzled his hair. "Don't I know it?"

Sinead and Rebekah looked at each other and then said simultaneously, "Stefan."

Kol and Klaus burst out laughing, Kol thumping the table.

Damon confidently scoffed. "You're just saying that to get me."

Rebekah shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, Damon; you're beyond good, but in a different way than your brother."

Sinead was nodding at Rebekah's words and added, "You're like really awesome, guy, but Stefan's like a whole different game." She stopped and waved her hands trying to explain. "He's like you and Sage combined."

Rebekah turned excitedly to the witch. "Yeah, that's it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but that's it. He makes love like a woman."

That was too much for Kol, who laid his head on the table, laughing. Klaus threw his head back roaring while Damon looked miffed. Sage rubbed his back consolingly, giggling.

"What? It's impossible that he's better than me. Stefan, Stefan." Damon had to call his brother's name several times to get him to raise his eyes from the glass he was staring at fixedly.

"Wha?" he asked.

"I know you were a virgin when Katherine took you. You used to blush when you looked at a girl. Tell the truth," Damon demanded.

"Absowutely." Stefan slurred his words.

The three girls giggled and pushed each other. Kol started laughing again, his head still on the table. Klaus was snickering as he topped off everyone's glass and waved the empty bottle, signaling the compelled waiter to bring another one.

Damon was still incredulous. "So, what did Katherine say when she came to you for the first time?"

Stefan thought, slowly because he was very drunk, and finally remembered. "She said if she had wanted something big and warm that gave sloppy wet kisses she would get a dog."

This was too much, even for Damon, and the whole table roared. Kol laughed so hard he almost fell off his seat, rescued only by his brother, pushing him up at the last moment.

Their loud, raucous laughter made conversation at the tables nearby them impossible. This annoyed a tall muscle bound man who was attempting to impress an attractive woman. After being asked three times what he was saying, he put his glass down, pushed his chair back and walked over to the vampire's table. "Keep it down over here. You don't own the place."

The three males exchanged glances, and Kol immediately called it. "This one is mine." The slim vampire stood and faced the man who towered over him by at least a foot. He looked up into his eyes. "You need to leave, get in your car, and get it up to one hundred miles an hour and then crash it into a wall."

Sinead objected, "Someone else might get hurt."

Kol thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, I should be a good citizen." He looked up again at the man and said, "Make sure you don't hit anyone."

"Sure thing. Well, I have to go now." The man departed, digging his car keys out of his pocket as he left.

"Very well done, brother." Klaus high fived him as Kol sat back down.

Damon was still laughing at his brother's revelation. "That is so Katherine. So what did she do? Teach you how to kiss?"

Stefan was too drunk to take offense at Damon's semi-derogatory tone so he answered the question seriously. "Yes, she gave me lessons."

Sinead poked Rebekah in the ribs. "I knew it! I knew it!"

Klaus, highly amused, wanted to hear more. He put a companionable arm across Stefan's shoulders and urged him on. "Tell us about your lessons, Stefan. Was Katerina impressed by your talents the first time you made love?"

Kol saw the waiter coming with another bottle so he drained his glass. "Yeah, Stefan, I want to hear about these lessons." He leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head, front legs of the chair off the floor.

Stefan picked up his glass and twirled it with his fingers. Unfortunately, he was too drunk to do it well and ended up dropping it on the table. He gazed at it, vexed. "It jumped out of my hands," he complained. That sent Sinead off in a giggling fit that she couldn't seem to get out of. She suddenly got up, running for the ladies room. "I'm going to wet myself."

The vampires, except for Stefan, thought that was hilarious, and went off in gales of laughter again.

Damon, getting control of himself, tapped on the table to get Stefan's attention. "So, Bro, how did it go your first time with Katherine."

Stefan shook his head. "Not too well."

Damon, grinning, exchanged smirks with Klaus. "Really, Stefan. What happened?"

He said very seriously, "I got so excited so fast when I saw her naked that, ah, there was a problem."

Kol laughed so hard he tipped his chair over backward and Klaus doubled up, unable to control himself. The girls shrieked with laughter and Damon spit out a mouthful of liquor. Klaus had tears running down his face and gasped. "I might have cracked my rib." This just made everyone laugh harder.

Sinead came running back. "What did I miss?" Sage told her between laughs.

Stefan just sat back and watched everyone laugh. When they finally got themselves under control Damon asked, "Did Katherine beat you up?"

"No," he said, reflecting. "She wasn't mad cause I was ready again in fifteen minutes."

The three men sat stunned. "No way!" Damon protested.

"Oh yeah!" Rebekah vouched, winking at Sinead. "He can, he can."

Stefan continued with his story. "That didn't happen again. She said it was okay, and she was glad she caught me when I was at my peak, and she was gonna teach me to be the way she wanted me." He sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair. "Whenever we went horseback riding or I esc . .esthcor . . escorted," Stefan tried hard and got the word out, "her into town, and we were in the carriage she taught me." He picked up the glass he had dropped on the table and looked inside of it, seeming surprised that it was empty.

He put it down, frowning at it. He seemed to remember he was telling the others about Katherine so he started again. "She taught me how to hold back. I was embarrassed at first when she got naked. Father always said nice girls covered themselves as much as possible."

Kol raised his eyes to the ceiling, while Damon swore at his dead father. Klaus's jaw had dropped, but he quickly closed his mouth. The girls just looked disgusted.

Stefan didn't notice anyone's reaction. He just rambled on. "She made me look at her, touch her, kiss her, taste her until I wasn't embarrassed anymore. She showed me how to touch, how to tell if my touch was too soft or too hard. How to tell what she was feeling. We spent hours at it."

Stefan finally saw the new bottle on the table and reached for it, only to have Rebekah block his reach. "How do you know what to do with human girls?" She was genuinely interested and Sinead seconded her. "Yeah, we're not as strong as vampires."

Stefan scratched his head. "Oh yeah. She would compel the town girls, and we would have lessons with them." He looked surprised. "You know, I forgot that." He thought a little bit longer. "Emily" He sat up. "Emily Bennett too." He looked at Damon. "Why didn't I remember that?"

Damon looked surprised at first. "Well, that explains why you don't get burned when you go to that witchy ju ju house. " He shook his head. "I would never have guessed. I bet she helped you forget."

Klaus played with his glass. "I wonder why she taught you about human females."

Damon, solemn now, said, "Katherine does nothing for anyone but Katherine."

Stefan tried for the bottle again, but Rebekah pulled it out of his reach.

Stymied in his quest for more liquor he turned his thoughts to Katherine again. Suddenly he remembered. "She said she was preparing me for the future. What I learned as a human would be that much better when I was a vampire."

Damon was still miffed. "Well, she didn't have to teach me. I knew already. She enjoyed me!" he insisted.

Stefan confirmed what his brother said. "She did. She said you were experienced already, and it would be great with you doing what you wanted, and me being exactly what she wanted." Stefan nodded. "She said she would have everything she wanted."

Sage had stopped laughing. "I knew it! She will come back for him."

Damon and Klaus both downplayed her concern. "She wouldn't risk it."

Sage frowned. "We'll see."

The night finally ended with Damon holding up and practically dragging out an almost unconscious Stefan.


	14. Fall Out from Fun Times

Rebekah strolled into the cozy breakfast nook, grabbing a cup of coffee. She quizzed Klaus. "Is that Stefan's car out there?"

"Yes, apparently our former semi-happy vampire has gone into a deep decline after meeting Elena last night."

Rebekah snorted. "You have to let me kill her, Klaus."

Her brother frowned. "Don't push me, Bekka."

"What about after she has a child?"

This brought a smile to Klaus's lips. "Let be, Bekka."

"So where is our handsome pouter?"

"I believe he's out at the stables. Grooming the horses seems to have a calming effect on him."

"Hmm! " Rebekah's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I haven't been riding in a long time. Can I borrow your black?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow at her, then returned his gaze to the local paper he was reading. "Haven't given up yet? I thought you were enjoying sharing bed games with Damon and Sage." His tone was mildly amused.

"I am. I am." She smiled saucily but then sobered. "But I still miss Stefan."

"Give it a try!" He didn't sound very optimistic, but that didn't seem to discourage his sister.

She smirked. "I will." She left to go up and change into pants suitable for riding.

Rebekah entered the barn to find Stefan just putting the finishing touches on the black mare. Klaus's favorite horse and the other two new ones were already clean. The human groom Klaus employed came forward. "Can I help you, Miss?"

"Saddle up Klaus's horse for me."

Rebekah leaned on the stall where Stefan was packing up the brushes and hoof pick. "Join me on a ride?"

Stefan hesitated. "I really don't feel like talking."

"I'm not asking you to talk to me. Just ride and show me where you and Klaus have been going. He mentioned that you took him out to your old plantation."

Stefan seemed reluctant, but finally shrugged. "Sure."

He quickly saddled the mare and the groom brought out the Friesian for Rebekah. She easily mounted into the saddle as Stefan swung up on his horse.

They walked out on the path towards the old plantation. Klaus and Stefan had ridden every day, often heading out in a different direction, but this was one of their favorite rides.

They warmed the horses up in silence. Once they hit the railroad bed they let the horses have their heads and cantered side by side, the strides of the two black horses being well matched.

There was a sharp wind in their faces and the horses enjoyed the cooler air along this trail. Rebekah laughed out loud, enjoying the speed and the movement of the horse. The Friesian was in high spirits, showing his pleasure with a little showy snorting and bucking. Stefan looked over, watching the wind blowing her hair back from her face and her happy smile. Her obvious pleasure helped soothe his jittery nerves, still upset from his unexpected meeting with Elena and Matt last night.

They reluctantly slowed down when the trail ended. Rebekah patted the gelding's neck. "I love his canter," she gushed.

Stefan responded. "The mare is smooth as glass too. There's a place ahead where we can trot. He's very animated; you should enjoy him.'"

Rebekah sighed happily. "I'd forgotten how much I liked riding. It's been a long time."

Stefan nodded. "I haven't really thanked Klaus for letting me use the mare. Riding helps me keep myself together."

Rebekah looked at his profile. He seemed approachable so she ventured to ask, "Is everything still hard for you?"

He looked down at the mare's neck. "I don't think it will ever get easy."

They passed the rest of the trip to the old plantation in a comfortable silence, enjoying the sun on their heads and the beautiful warm weather. When they reached the Salvatore buildings they stopped and tied the horses up, loosening their girths. It was a lazy day, and even the bugs flying around seemed lethargic.

Just as they were about to move away and walk around the area the black horse kicked out as a bee or horse fly stung him on the rump. Stefan pulled Rebekah out of danger, taking the hoof to his arm, resulting in an audible crack. His face scrunched momentarily with pain, and then the arm healed.

Rebekah gasped as she felt him pull her out of the way and then looked concerned at his arm. "At least you're nourished enough to heal properly," she commented and then added, "So you must still care somewhat to do what you did."

Stefan looked away and muttered, "I never wanted you to be hurt. I wasn't against you, I was for El . . ." His voice trailed away. "Let's get on the friendlier side of the horses." He suited action to words and carefully circled around the two animals.

Rebekah followed and then slipped an arm through Stefan's. "Show me around."

He resisted for a moment and then relaxed and walked with her. As she walked, she brushed her loose hand through the weeds and wildflowers stirring up insects and pollen. He explained what the different ruins were, pointing out the house, old barns, and servants quarters.

During one quiet moment Rebekah slipped in. "We need to start over, Stefan."

He just looked sad. "I'm not who I was back then."

"That's what I mean. We need to know each other as we are n . . ." She said, letting go of his arm and stepping in front of him. The sunlight glinted off his green eyes, making them emerald colored. She stopped talking, mesmerized by the color.

"What? What's the matter?" he asked, confused by her sudden silence.

A big smile lit her face. "I love green eyes."

He responded with a small smile, more of a lopsided tilt to his lips. "You always did. I was glad I had them when I met you. I think it was what won you over."

"So you do remember that you cared for me?" she said archly.

"I did. I cared a lot," he admitted and then softly added, "That Stefan cared very much."

"That sounds remarkably schizo to me." She gently teased him.

He hitched a shoulder. "I am remarkably schizo."

Rebekah decided to change the subject and linked her arm through his again and moved slowly off. He allowed her to guide him without objecting. "Would you mind if I tried the mare some day?" They walked out of the meadow into a more wooded area.

Stefan looked at her sharply. "You have to ask Klaus, she's not mine."

To his surprise, Rebekah answered, "Klaus said she's reserved for you. What are you going to call her?"

Stefan immediately rejected the notion. "I won't name her."

Rebekah's carefully shaped eyebrows rose. "Klaus said she reminded you of your favorite horse. What was her name?"

"Mezzanotte," was the blunt reply.

"That's a beautiful name. Why not call her that?" Rebekah was curious.

"I rode my favorite horse to death to save my wounded brother and myself from the upstanding citizens of Mystic Falls. The name doesn't bring back good memories." He shook his head and continued bitterly, "Everyone and everything I get close to has a bad end."

"You can't blame yourself for Elena." Rebekah's voice was reasonable. "Klaus would have found her regardless of you."

"Yeah, what about Bonnie? She only had eighteen years and before she went she had to watch everyone she loved in her family die. She didn't want to be a witch. I think being around vampires woke something in her, brought it alive. I pushed her to help save Elena, but I never wanted her to get hurt."

"She was a witch, Stefan. Witches that try to stand up against vampires don't live long. Fact of life as we know it," she said bluntly.

"Yeah, well Jenna, Elena's aunt, wasn't a witch, and she died as punishment for us interfering."

"She probably would have tried to interfere on her own, and Klaus would have killed her. He's pretty predictable about things like that." Her cool voice was so matter-of-fact that Stefan stopped walking and looked intently at her.

"How do you do it Bekka? Have you really managed to turn it off for good?"

His calling her by her pet name threatened to melt her, but she let it pass, choosing to answer his question. "I concentrate on family and our kind. It does no good to get involved with humans. They die on you, Stefan. What does it matter if it's eighteen years or eighty years? You always lose them. Once you start looking to them for companionship or love, you doom yourself to pain, Stefan, to hurt. They all die on you." He voice was completely unemotional as if she was just reciting facts.

They stared at each other until Stefan finally looked away. "I just don't know." He shook his head, hands on hips. "Let's go back."

She didn't demur, just strolled along with him.

They returned to the horses, tightened up the girths, and mounted. The ride home was accomplished in a not uncomfortable silence. Stefan appeared deep in thought.

They were met by the groom when they returned. He took Rebekah's horse, expecting Stefan to follow his usual routine and clean the mare. Rebekah, however, took the mare's reins and handed them to the groom, saying to Stefan, "Come inside. I'll make us some coffee."

Stefan grimaced. "How bout I make the coffee."

Rebekah pouted. "My coffee is not that bad!"

"Your everything is bad, Bekka. You don't belong anywhere near anything edible. If anything had to be cooked you relied on a restaurant or Gloria, if I remember right."

"Your memory is extremely selective!" She sniffed. "You make the coffee then."

They strolled up to the house to be informed by the butler that Mr. Klaus and Mr. Kol had left. They went into the kitchen, Stefan waving away offers of help, making the coffee on his own. He found cups and cream and sugar while the coffee was brewing. Rebekah had jumped up on the counter, swinging her legs like a kid, amused to watch him competently move around the kitchen. "When did you learn to make coffee?"

He bragged. "My talents are not limited to coffee. I'm a good cook. My spaghetti sauce is . . ." His face darkened and his voice faltered and then he gamely finished, ". . . is praised by all."

Rebekah pretended not to notice, instead teasing, "This better be good or you'll never hear the end of it."

Stefan poured them both a cup, and they went and sat in the breakfast nook, the sun still shining brightly in.

Rebekah sipped and admitted, "This is good."

"Told you so."

Rebekah kept the conversation centered around horses, the two new ones that had been acquired, her favorite breeds, and other neutral topics. The sun streaming in the bay windows made for a pleasant afternoon, and it was the most relaxing conversation that had yet occurred between the two of them.

Finally, Stefan looked down at his empty coffee cup and said, "I have to get going. One of my babysitters will be looking for me. Important social event designed to impress the mayor with our support is happening."

Rebekah wrinkled her nose. "I hate to be the one to tell you, but you smell like horse, and you have hair all over your pants and shirt."

Stefan looked down at his arms and chest and acknowledged her criticism was valid. "I do smell, don't I?"

"Use the guest bedroom to shower. Sage left clothes here for you. You can change and get there in time."

Stefan frowned at the mention of Sage. "She's quite the busybody, isn't she?"

Rebekah laughed. "She's just competent. She thinks of everything." She thought about it for a moment and then said, "I think it was her upbringing. She was born noble, but dirt poor. She had to live by her wits."

Stefan shrugged it off, not wanting to think about Sage. "Guess I will shower here. It'll save time."

Stefan picked up the two coffee cups and brought them to the kitchen, washing them up. Rebekah laughed gently at him. "The butler would have taken care of it."

A wry grin accompanied Stefan's admission. "Habit. Being on my own too long, and no way does Damon do dishes."

He followed Rebekah upstairs to a room he had used before. It was nicely decorated, as all the rooms were at the mansion, with a double bed and some bureaus and a closet. Rebekah opened the closet and sure enough, there were clothes in his size.

She led him into the bathroom, pulling towels out for him. "All yours," she said and left.

Stefan stripped and jumped into the shower. The shampoo and soap were fragrant, and he let the hot water beat down on his body, enjoying the feeling. When he had enough he got out wrapping a towel around his waist, using another one to towel dry his hair. He opened various cabinets and found a hair dryer and his favorite styling product, which amused him.

He quickly dried his hair and came out of the bathroom to get changed. He stopped, surprised to find a pensive Rebekah sitting on the bed, chin resting on her bent up knees, playing idly with a strand of her blonde hair. She looked young and vulnerable in that position.

Stefan looked at her uncertainly.

"What's wrong with me Stefan?" Her question totally shocked him.

"What is about me that keeps people from loving me?" Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She uncurled her body, got up and walked to stand in front of me.

She searched his eyes. "Why?"

He didn't know quite what to say to her, but tried. "You've always had men, lovers. Klaus told me so. You were the one who always got tired of them."

"I didn't want them because they didn't love me. Lust, yes. The allure of having an Original. The desire to be close to Klaus through his sister. But they didn't love me. My mother tried to kill me, Stefan. My mother hated me. Why? She made us what we are. We didn't want this, didn't ask for this. How could you do this to your children and then hate them for what you made them into?" She shook her head, sounding so bewildered. "I don't understand, Stefan. I just don't understand."

He lifted his hand, hesitated, and then reached out to gently stroke her face, ending up cupping it. That was his undoing. Her palpable sorrow penetrated to the essential core of his being, that part of him forever amplified when he made the transition to vampire. He couldn't fully block his empathy towards someone in pain. He tried, but her misery seeped through his barriers and reached him, triggering his overwhelming desire to make it better. This was the part of him that made him hold and soothe Caroline when she turned; that drew him to Elena with her anguish over her parent's death and her brother's inability to cope.

She leaned into him, hungry for the contact.

Stefan, face resigned, unable to fight it, wrapped his arms around her, rocking her body against his. She wrapped her arms around his waist and raised her lips to his, eyes begging for solace. Stefan couldn't deny her and in his kiss, the witch sensitivity present in her from birth, tasted his compassion for her. She sighed deeply and lowered her hands to his hips, undoing the loosely wrapped towel. She moved her hips back allowing it to slide down to the floor and then molded her body against his. He gave in, responding to her need.

Kol and Klaus, returning to the house stopped, not long after entering. Both sets of nostrils flared slightly and Kol raised an eyebrow. "Hmm! The Strumpet is at it. Wonder with whom?"

"Jeeves." Klaus addressed the butler, just now entering the hallway. "Does my sister have a visitor?"

"Mr. Stefan Salvatore."

"Has it sounded like the house was being torn down?" Kol asked, sharing a joking look with his brother.

The butler raised his eyebrows. "No, sir, they've been very quiet all day." He responded to the surprised looks on the brother's faces. "Miss Rebekah and Mr. Stefan came in from riding, and he made coffee. I tried to help, but they shooed me away." He was anxious to assure his master he wasn't failing in performing his duties. Kol waved away his concern and asked, "What did they do?"

"They talked quietly for about an hour, and then Mr. Stefan indicated he had to leave. Miss Rebekah talked him into taking a shower first."

That made both brothers smirk. "I bet she did," Kol replied.

"Again, I tried to assist him, but Miss Rebekah said she would take him upstairs."

"You did the right thing, Jeeves," Klaus assured his anxious butler. "Carry on."

Kol and Klaus laughed. As they walked into the back of the house a puzzled Kol said, "I didn't think his name was Jeeves."

"It's not. I just like Jeeves. It sounds very proper and British," Klaus responded airily. "We really should go meet the current Royal Family."

Kol snickered. "So we shall, brother, so we shall."

Sometime later Klaus heard a knock on the door and the sounds of a guest being greeted. An angry Sage strode into the library, her face showing her displeasure. "Is Stefan out riding? He was supposed to show up at a charity event the Mayor was throwing? Tyler had to do it alone."

Klaus pointed upstairs. "He's entertaining Rebekah or vice versa. I'm not sure which."

Sage's mouth dropped open. "Really?" She flopped into a chair. "Really?" she asked again, delighted.

Klaus smiled. "Should we open a bottle of champagne?"

"I was beginning to give up hope!"

"Apparently my sister was persistent enough to get through to him. You know what she's like when she wants something." Klaus and Sage exchanged knowing smiles. Klaus continued, "Please let Stefan be."

"Of course," Sage replied, moving to get up and take her leave.

She was stopped by Klaus raising a hand. "A moment, Sage. I'd like to request a favor."

She settled back, prepared to listen.

"I want to throw a celebration, ah, part coming out party for my family." He nodded his head at Sage. "I want to take my rightful place in the world, want to be acknowledged by the lesser vampires. Half of them think we Originals are old wives tales."

Sage pursed her lips. "True, though word may have spread by now that you've come out into the open. Your house party should have announced that."

"I don't want it here in Mystic Falls. I'm thinking of several bigger cities, either Atlanta." He shrugged. "possibly Manhattan, New Orleans on the East Coast. Maybe Hollywood on the West Coast. Would you help organize it?"

The red head's eyes lit up. "Can I commandeer some of your hybrids?"

Klaus waved his hands. "Anything you need, my dear Sage. Just do me proud."

She clapped her hands happily. "You know there is nothing I love better than entertaining. I'll take care of everything."

"And another thing. I want to reach out into Europe and Asia. I don't feel comfortable leaving the United States until Elena has at least one offspring, preferably more. Since you, through Stefan, are part of my family now I'd like you to be my ambassador. You would be suitably backed up with vampires and hybrids. Interested?"

Her eyes now positively sparkled. This was what she had schemed for; she would be an acknowledged part of the family. Deeply satisfied, she practically purred. "Anything you require Klaus. You know you only need ask."


	15. Guy Trip Coming

Rebekah didn't bother knocking, just strolled into the Boarding House like she owned it. She had met Sage in town, so she wasn't expecting her to be home. She had heard the sounds of a piano when she pulled up in the driveway, therefore she wasn't surprised to find Damon sitting, playing, a glass of wine within easy reach.

He looked up, smiling at her, using his head to indicate Stefan was upstairs, without ever stopping his keystrokes. Rebekah eagerly headed up towards his room. It had been two weeks since they had reached an understanding, and she hated to let Stefan out of her sight. If it was up to her he would have been living at the Mikaelson mansion, but he resisted that last step, and she was too smart to insist.

She walked into his bedroom only to be confronted with Stefan sitting up against the headboard with Sinead on the bed next to him, resting her back against his knees. They were only reading, but the intimacy of the scene irritated her. She peevishly asked, "What are you doing here?"

Sinead looked up from her tablet, somewhat astonished at her question, and quietly said, "Reading." But her expression clearly added 'what does it look like I'm doing'?

Stefan looked up from his book, blinking. "Hi, Bekka."

"You didn't come over to ride today." Her petulance made it come out like an accusation.

"No," he agreed. "I wanted to read this morning. Sinead recommended this book, and it's really good."

Rebekah shot a sour look at the witch. "Well, I missed you."

"We can ride tomorrow," he said mildly.

"I wanted to ride today." She heard the peevishness in her voice but couldn't help herself. She jealously resented Stefan spending time with anyone but her.

Stefan marked his place with his finger and closed his book. "We can go riding tomorrow. Relax."

Sinead kept her gaze on her book, but she was seething inside. Rebekah's insecurities drove her crazy. Couldn't she see she was smothering Stefan?

The blonde vampire audibly released her breath. "Yeah, you're right. Make me a cup of coffee? Please?" She made an effort to keep her voice pleasant.

"Sure," he replied. "Want a cup, Sinead?" His polite gesture made the girl wince inwardly.

"Bad move, Stefan!" She thought. She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't help herself. "Yeah, that sounds great." She shut off her Kindle and waltzed by a visibly fuming Rebekah.

They were in the kitchen, sitting around the table, when Rebekah suddenly said, "Now, why is Klaus here?"

Stefan's head came up and several minutes later, the hybrid walked into the kitchen, followed by Damon. "Hello, love!"

Sinead returned the greeting with a huge smile. She knew he was somewhat crazy, but she did like him, as opposed to his sister. The more she knew Rebekah the less she cared for her.

"Stefan." Klaus nodded a greeting at him.

Damon addressed his brother. "Klaus wants your company on a short trip he's taking."

Stefan looked wary while Rebekah immediately asked, "Where are we going?"

"We, as in you, are not going anywhere," Klaus replied. "This is a guy trip. Don't worry, we won't be more than a day or so." Rebekah was not happy to be excluded, but she knew from the look on her brother's face that he wasn't about to budge.

Klaus smiled reassuringly at Stefan. "Pack a few clothes, and let's get going."

Damon's offer to help him pack was rejected immediately. Stefan soon returned with an overnight bag and joined Klaus outside. A hybrid he had seen a couple of times at the mansion was driving. He went to get in the passenger side of the front seat only to be requested to join Klaus in the back.

Rebekah waved him off and then left for home.

Sage came home that evening to find Sinead reading in the front room while Damon watched TV. She greeted Damon lovingly and then sat next to him. Damon's eyebrows rose when she immediately muted the TV.

"Sinead, I need your attention."

The witch looked up surprised and put her Kindle down. "What's up?"

"You need to keep your distance from Stefan."

A mulish look came over the witch's face. "She told you to say that, didn't she?"

"I told you before. Stefan is not for you." Sage was completely matter-of-fact.

Sinead protested, "I haven't slept with him in weeks. We read together and talk about books. That's it!"

"You take time away from Rebekah."

"OMG! So we can't talk because she's insecure? That makes no sense."

"Rebekah doesn't share. I told you that before."

"Well, she should learn how. It will make her a better person." Sinead explained, "We enjoy each other's company. We have things in common to talk about, and what's more I don't smother him like someone else does. She doesn't make him happy!" Sinead sputtered.

Damon just shook his head. "Sinead, my brother will never be completely happy."

"That's not true," she fired back. "He could be happy, but you won't let him near Elena."

Damon's face hardened. "He will never be with her. I won't allow it!"

"Why?" she snarked. "Because she didn't love you?"

"Enough!" Sage intervened and put a restraining hand on Damon. "Apologize, Sinead!"

Sinead took one look at Damon's angry face and knew she had crossed a line. "Sorry. My temper got the better of me."

Sage sighed and finally said, "Sinead, you've always wanted things. You're driving a fifty thousand dollar sports car. You have the latest clothes, the latest gadgets. We'll be leaving within six months for Europe, and you'll be mingling with all the most important people in the world. Parties every night. You are on the verge of getting it all. Are you going to give it all up for Stefan?" She looked at Sinead for a response.

"No, of course not!" The girl was vehement. "But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy his company. He's intelligent and interesting and . . ," she waved her arms trying to find words to express herself, " . . and when he's not overwhelmed, he's funny and kind."

Damon having conquered his temper said, "Listen, if you need company we'll compel any guy you want. Just tell us who!" Sage nodded agreement.

Sinead looked at the two of them and finally said, "I will keep my distance from him unless one of you is present, and I will be careful that Rebekah does not see us together. Will that work?"

Damon and Sage looked at one another, but it was Sage that answered her. "For your own safety you must be careful. Rebekah is not rational about Stefan. He fills some type of need in her, and when she's thwarted she's dangerous. Just know that much as I love you, I will not be able to protect you from her."

Sinead realized that Sage was truly concerned about her. She got up and went over and kissed the vampire. "I won't let you down."

Sage smiled at that and hugged her. "You are so powerful and yet in some ways so naïve. I can't help but worry about you."

"Don't! I'm heading up to my room now. " She turned to Damon. "I really am sorry. That remark I made was totally uncalled for."

"Let's forget it." Damon smiled until she left the room. Once he heard the door to her room close he turned to Sage. "Regardless of what she says, she likes Stefan more than she should. Her heart speeds up when she brushes against him."

"I know." Sage smiled affectionately at him. "You damn Salvatore boys. Why do you have to be so attractive?"

"It's a curse we have to bear." He gave her that devilish smile that melted untold numbers of hearts.

"How bout you show me what else you have besides good looks?" Her voice was low and husky.

"My pleasure, ma'm!"


	16. Guy Road Trip

Klaus woke with the morning sun shining in his eyes. He squinted against the brightness, turning his head to see a bloodied Stefan lying on his back in the grass next to him, arms thrown over his face. Klaus stretched luxuriously, totally delighted with himself. That fact that he was nude bothered him not at all.

A big grin split the hybrid's face. "That was awesome," he thought. He repeated it out loud; startling several birds perched on nearby branches. They squawked indignantly at him before flying off.

This made him chuckle, and he sat up, rolling his muscles to loosen them. As he turned at the waist to continue the stretch, he caught sight of something that made him look twice. He rose to his feet and walked over to investigate. There, placed around a large tree were four blood streaked bodies, their backs propped against the trunk. Something about them didn't quite look right. Klaus looked closer and recognized his kills from last night.

He looked back at Stefan. "Good little ripper! You put the bodies back together again."

Klaus reminisced about the events of the previous night. They had driven four hours away from Mystic Falls to an isolated wood where you could be sure of finding a few people camping. The urge to free his wolf side had been building for months now, gnawing at him. He had held it in, but the need had become overwhelming. He didn't mind the cracking of his bones, the melting of his flesh, and the burning of his skin to turn into the wolf shape. It was all part of the price he was willing to pay to feel the intense pleasure of the hunt, the warm blood, the taste of flesh. He wanted the thrill of the kill.

He had chosen a hybrid that he liked to accompany him and then for some reason thought of Stefan. The ripper Stefan most closely resembled the wild animal in him, and he wanted him there. The hybrid had been reluctant to change, clearly dreading the pain. Klaus finally had to compel him while Stefan stood by horrified. When the hybrid changed he tried to attack Stefan, who defended himself, until Klaus intervened and chased the wolf off. Klaus was devastated that the transitioned hybrid retained no recognition of his former companions, no spark of intelligence in his wolf form, and had run. He had hoped to have a companion, but it seemed once again only a reluctant Stefan stood by him.

Klaus pushed the vampire with his body indicating he should follow him, and they took off. Klaus quickly scented human prey and followed the trail. They came upon a camp site with four people, clearly couples, having an overnight. He stayed upwind, allowing their scent to fill his nostrils. He attacked them one by one slashing the hamstrings so they couldn't run far. When he had crippled all of them, he circled them and chose the one that screamed the loudest. The two men hobbled over and picked up sticks, futilely trying to beat him off. Once he slashed the helpless woman and the coppery scent of hot blood was in the air, the vampire lost the fight to control himself and dashed in, sinking his fangs into the artery in her throat, growling a low guttural sound in his throat to warn Klaus off the prey he claimed. This delighted Klaus beyond measure, and he grabbed a leg and shook the now dead body, taunting the vampire with growls of his own.

Out of nowhere the hybrid wolf, also drawn by the scent of blood, attacked. Stefan let go of his prey to grab the wolf by the head, while Klaus, infuriated at having his play interrupted, went for the wolf's throat. The tug-of-war soon resulted in the head being severed. Stefan threw the body away while Klaus pranced around tossing the head in the air and catching it. The three remaining humans were frozen in horror, unable to turn away from the bizarre scene. The vampire once again went for the girl, latching on to the throat, sucking loudly. Klaus again danced in and out, tugging on an arm or leg, while the vampire kept up a steady growl, trying to pull the body away. The inevitable happened, and the head popped off. Klaus then grabbed an arm and tried to run off with the body only to have Stefan pounce. Before long the body was in pieces and Stefan, still hungry, turned his gaze to the remaining humans. He darted in and grabbed one, trying to drain the man. Klaus latched on, his muzzle pressed close to the vampire's mouth, their bodies slamming each other as they each tried to claim the prize. Stefan fed so hard he severed the head and then went for the femoral artery. Klaus again grabbed the other leg and between them they tore the body apart.

The two remaining people were huddled together, hysterical, knowing their time was coming. Klaus challenged Stefan for each kill, enjoying the competition as much as the victim's terror and the hot blood squirting into his mouth. The wrestling inevitably ended with bodies being dismembered. Apparently, Stefan had managed to find and reassemble the scattered bodies before passing out.

Klaus looked closer and snickered. Stefan had mixed up the men's feet. He thought about chastising the vampire and then decided it wouldn't be a good idea considering Stefan's probable mental state when he woke. He fixed the feet and then pondered the next steps. He obviously needed some clothes and his car, and the mess needed to be cleaned up.

He sighed and walked over to nudge Stefan with his toe. "Wakey, wakey, little bright eyed vampire!" Another nudge and then a good kick were required before the vampire moved his arms off his face. He blinked several times and then jumped up only to fall back to hands and knees while a groan escaped him.

An interested Klaus walked over and pulled his head up by his hair. He examined the blood smeared grey face and dull eyes. "You, my friend, do not look so good." He pushed him into a sitting position and inspected his torn shirt, probing here and there. When Stefan winced Klaus opened the tear further to reveal pus oozing teeth marks surrounded by broken, red-purple skin.

"One of us got you!" he remarked cheerily. "That's easily taken care of." He bit his arm and held it up to the vampire, only to have Stefan refuse and attempt to scramble away.

Klaus, disgusted, said, "Are you going to start the 'I want to die nonsense' over this little escapade?"

Stefan didn't reply, just attempted to flee. Klaus was in front of him in a flash. "The madness has obviously set in if you think even for a moment that you can escape me. Now enough! Drink this!"

Klaus bit again and forced his arm into Stefan's mouth, massaging his throat with his free hand to force him to swallow. He waited until Stefan's eyes brightened up and his skin color looked good and then remarked, "We have some work to do and I need clothes."

Stefan frowned looking around. "Send your hybrid."

"Little problem! We tore his head off last night when he wouldn't play nice." Klaus's sarcasm didn't register with Stefan who just narrowed his eyes while he searched his memory. "Oh. Yeah." He then groaned and put his head in his hands as he remembered other things.

Klaus just rolled his eyes. "Spare me your conscience flogging and come help me find the SUV. I have spare clothes and a couple of shovels in the back.

Klaus ended up piling everything into the campers' tents after watching Stefan try to move the bodies without disturbing them. The vampire got upset when the bodies kept coming apart so Klaus just shoved him out of the way, sending him to pick up the hybrid's body. Once everything was packed up in the tents, they each took a tent and sped off with a shovel. Klaus let Stefan dig making the valid assumption that the physical work would stop his mind from working. Klaus sat relaxed, hands behind his head, until Stefan had completed the burial.

When he was done Klaus placed his hand against the small of Stefan's back and pushed him towards the SUV for the drive home.

Klaus angled his body in the passenger seat so he could watch Stefan as he drove. The vampire kept his eyes on the road, seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny, totally preoccupied with his own thoughts. Stefan alternated between tightly clenching the wheel with both hands and clenching and unclenching his right hand. His left foot thrummed, heel bouncing up and down.

Klaus turned on the radio, finding a station with soothing music, only to have Stefan irritably shut it off.

Klaus knew he was going to hear about this. He both dreaded and was angered by the tantrum he knew Rebekah would throw. Stefan wouldn't be much company for her in his present state.

He also expected Damon to be upset. He had worked hard to get his brother to learn to moderate his blood consumption, and Klaus privately admitted to himself that he had done a good job. His little killing spree had put an end to that. Well, he'd have to rely on Sage to calm Damon down and work together to get Stefan back under some type of control.

He sighed deeply and then allowed a huge grin to light up his face. "What a great night!"


	17. Talk, Talk, Talk

As Klaus feared the next four weeks were uncomfortable for everyone.

Klaus heard the angry stomp of high heels long before Rebekah actually stormed into the library where he was sketching. He quickly switched the pad he was drawing on to one that he didn't care about, and sure enough she snatched it from his hands and ripped it lengthwise, flinging the two halves in different directions, both hitting the walls.

"Why?" she screeched. "Why? Why? Why? You have your hybrids, why do this to Stefan? He's practically catatonic, thanks to you." She squared up to her brother, hands on her hips.

"If you're voice gets any higher you'll have all the dogs in the neighborhood howling!" Klaus said mildly.

"Don't patronize me!" she spat. "What did you do to Stefan?"

"I merely encouraged the Ripper that we both love and adore to come out." As her face contorted Klaus emphasized, "Encouraged, not forced."

That didn't appease her. "You know how fragile he is. Why did you do it?" she demanded.

"I wanted company," Klaus replied.

His answer enraged her. She got up into his face, poking him in the chest. "You wanted company. YOU YOU YOU. Always YOU. What about the rest of the family. What about me? Elijah and I killed our mother for you, yet it's still YOU!"

She pulled her arm back to strike him, and he stopped her hand inches from his face. His voice ice cold, he warned, "Don't, Bekka. You don't want to get me mad."

"Oh, are you going to stab me with a silver blade? Hmm. No wait, I threw away the ashes. What are you going to do Klaus? Leave me?" she screamed.

Klaus sighed and got up to walk away from her, but to his chagrin she followed, berating him. He merely hunched a shoulder knowing he would simply have to endure.

**a*a***

Damon tossed off the glass of whiskey and poured another one. His mood was black, his eyes bleak. Sage quietly watched him from the doorway. "He'll be okay," she assured him. "We'll make sure he's okay."

Damon shook his head angrily, rejecting her verbal offering. "Why did he have to take Stefan? He's got all those damn hybrids." He turned to her. "That's what this has always been about. Making hybrids so he wouldn't be alone. So why does he need Stefan with him?" a frustrated Damon asked. He walked over to the sideboard and poured another glass.

Sage followed him, saying, "I'll take one too."

The depth of his anger was betrayed by the slight tremble in his hands as he poured her drink.

She knew she had to calm him down before he did anything foolish. She put a tentative hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off, and she didn't persist. She sipped without really tasting, more concerned about what to say to Damon. "Your little brother is more resilient than you give him credit for. He'll come out of this."

Damon gave her a look and took the bottle and his glass over to a chair, flinging himself into it. "I had him under control. He was at a point he could handle it. Now?" Damon grimaced and drank again.

"Hey, he's further along than he's ever been. Before it was either animal blood or full blown ripper. This time he was able to drink human blood and not binge." Sage was optimistic.

"Was, being the operative word," Damon argued. He fumed for a few moments and returned to his major gripe. "I still don't get why Klaus had to take Stefan along. He had his hybrid." He flung his hands up, gesturing. "I know Rebekah is pissed at him! What is his problem?"

Sage quickly went over and knelt by Damon, putting her hands on his knees. "He connects with Stefan, connected with him when he was on the run and before Stefan knew how powerful he was. They were friends, Damon, and rulers don't always have friends. They have followers and petitioners and people that fawn on them and want things from them, but it's rare to find a friend. You don't understand, Damon. You haven't lived it like I have."

He looked over his drink at her as she continued, her tone earnest. "Look at us, Damon, at me. I genuinely like Rebekah, but I also use her to get what I want. Same thing with Klaus. I want the power, the prestige, the good life, the safety." She knew he was listening to her, evaluating what she said. "Damon, you and your brother should not be alive! You have thwarted the most powerful being in the world over and over again, and yet he just can't bring himself to make the final kill. If you believe nothing else then believe this—Klaus cares about Stefan."

Damon reached over and caressed the nape of her neck. "So, are you saying he won't go on a hybrid binge again with my brother?"

"No, I'm not." Damon's eyebrows went up. Sage put her hand up to cup his face. "I don't lie to you, Damon. Klaus will hold off until the urge gets too powerful for him to resist, and then he will do it again, and he will want Stefan there with him. But make no mistake, he'll feel tremendous guilt, and he'll do everything he can to make Stefan happy. And everything for Stefan's family." She held his eyes and spoke again. "The world is a harsh place, Damon, and if you think it's not then you're deceiving yourself. The truth is neither we nor anyone else can keep Stefan from Klaus, so we might as well make the best of it."

Damon's mouth twisted. "It doesn't make me feel very good about myself."

Sage turned on the floor and rested her head against Damon's knee holding his hand. "It's life, Damon, and the only thing we can do is help him as much as we can."

He sighed and nodded, softly stroking her hair.

**a*a***

Stefan smelled the blood in the air. The veins under his eyes ebbed and swelled back and forth while his fangs bumped against his lips. His nostrils flared and his body trembled with the effort to keep himself under control.

The girl looked up, holding the hand she had sliced on the sharp edge of a metal sign. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw the changes flickering over his face.

"Please don't scream," he silently prayed. "Please don't scream. I know I'll lose it."

"What's going on, Stefan?" Matt's voice cut through Stefan's preoccupation with the blood.

"Matt." Stefan tried to pull his attention away from the girl to focus on Matt, but he was losing the battle.

"You can do it, Stefan." Matt coached him. "Breathe."

Caroline was there in a flash. She got between him and the girl. "Watch me, Stefan." She let her veins engorge and then puffed up her lips and blew her breath out, letting the veins smooth out. "Come on."

Matt gently reached over and put a hand on Stefan's shoulder. "You're okay, Stefan. You're okay."

The vampire sighed and closed his eyes. "Send her away."

Matt nodded at Caroline, who turned to the girl and compelled her. "Go home. You'll only remember you cut your hand."

The girl nodded and left, and Caroline turned back to Matt and Stefan. The vampire looked miserable. He ran a hand through his hair messing it up. Caroline reached over and carefully fixed it.

Matt shook him gently. "You didn't do anything, Stefan. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay." Stefan rejected Matt's consoling platitudes. "If you hadn't come, I would have lost it."

Caroline wrung her hands, aching for him. She never forgot his kindness to her when she had woken up a vampire, frightened and alone, and the way he stood up to his brother to save her life. She wished there was something she could do to help him, but she was powerless against Klaus.

**a*a***

Stefan quickly turned and walked in the opposite direction, leaving Sinead talking to herself on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop. She understood his abrupt flight when she came face to face with Elena, who stared after Stefan, concern written all over her face. She started to walk slowly away and then stopped and hurried back. "If you can, please help him," she pleaded. "It hurts me to know he's suffering the way he is." Elena covered her mouth, looking like she regretted speaking, and then shook her head, almost running away, leaving Sinead open mouthed.

Sinead knocked gently on Stefan's bedroom door. She had been surprised when Damon rather nonchalantly asked her why she didn't go upstairs and try and interest Stefan in reading or something. Her eyebrows had shot up almost to her hairline, and she had looked questioningly at Sage, who nodded confirmation. She thought about all the sarcastic comments she could make after the crap they gave her about being with him, but decided to let it go and take the opportunity to help him. There was no response, but she opened the door anyways and quietly slipped in. Stefan was lying on the bed, pillows piled up behind him. He was staring at the ceiling and didn't bother looking at Sinead, even though she knew he heard her.

She stared at him for a moment and then fixed a smile on her face and cheerfully offered him a book. "Look, I got the third book in the series from the library! You're gonna love it."

He didn't acknowledge her.

She came over and sat on the bed next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. As she gently rubbed she said, "Stefan, come on. You have to get over it and start living again. You can't hide in bed for the rest of your life."

He sighed and said, "I can't risk going out and killing someone. I've lost control."

"Someone will go out with you when you need to feed. They won't let you kill, Stefan. You can get it together again."

Stefan turned his head to look at her. "So, that's my life. Fight, fight, get under control and then blow it and go crazy again. Some life." He turned his gaze back to the ceiling.

**a*a***

Klaus strolled in and leaned against the stall door. He knew Damon had convinced Stefan to come over and work with the horses again. Klaus had left him alone the first couple of times, but now wanted to talk to him. Stefan ignored him, continuing to gently and efficiently brush the black mare. Klaus watched him for a few minutes, waiting for Stefan to acknowledge him. When it because clear that he wouldn't, Klaus spoke up. "We need to talk."

Stefan refused to look up from the mare's gleaming coast. Klaus smiled and made himself comfortable. "I can wait you out. I've had years of experience." He rolled his eyes playfully.

Stefan betrayed his agitation with an extra hard brush stroke. The mare turned her head, still munching hay, and butted him in protest. "Sorry." He apologized and immediately calmed his hands.

Klaus was suddenly next to him. "I've always felt alone, isolated, different from everyone. Now I have my hybrids but they're not exactly the same as me either. When I transition, Stefan, you, Ripper Stefan, are my counterpart." Klaus put his hand on Stefan's now rigid shoulder. "I needed that night, Stefan, and I needed to share it with someone. If my hybrid had kept his intelligence I would never had pushed you to follow us, but you were my only companion, my friend . . . my brother, in spirit."

He put his other hand on Stefan's other shoulder and gently massaged his taut muscles with both hands. He leaned in close to murmur in Stefan's ear. "I will help you get back control over your ripper side and keep you there in return for your companionship when the need to change becomes overwhelming."

**a*a***

Caroline drove Stefan to the Mikaelson's. Klaus had requested that Stefan take care of his horses. The groom was sick and needed time off and none of Klaus's hybrids had any experience. Caroline had volunteered to come, curious about the stable. Stefan directed her to drive to the back of the house and down the little side road to the barn area. They got out, and she immediately wrinkled her nose in distaste. "What is that smell?" she demanded.

Stefan sniffed experimentally, but smelled nothing out of the ordinary. "Do you mean the manure and hay?" he asked puzzled, as he hurried into the barn, hearing the horses whinnying.

"It's gross," Caroline complained, following him rather reluctantly.

He shot over his shoulder. "You get to love it after awhile."

"Don't think so," she muttered under her breath.

She walked into the barn to find Stefan going from stall to stall with a hose, filling the water buckets. The horses that he hadn't gotten to yet were kicking their stalls and complaining loudly.

Stefan was disgusted. "Lazy jerks couldn't even fill the buckets."

Caroline, walked around at first, admiring the horses, until Stefan directed her to a feed room to fill a couple of scoops with grain. She willingly found and filled the scoops, but was reluctant to enter the first stall when the horse eagerly approached her.

"Will he bite me?" she asked Stefan.

He looked at her for a moment before replying. "He's a she, and you're a vampire. If she bites you, bite her back harder!"

"Don't be a snot, Stef. I don't know anything about horses, so have a little patience with me." Caroline frowned at him.

Stefan finished up with the last bucket and came over to help her. He showed her how to push the horse out of the way and fill her grain bin. As the mare eagerly attacked her food, Stefan showed Caroline where to stroke her.

She smiled up at him. "She's so soft!"

Stefan smiled for the first time that day, not a big smile, but still a smile. "Come on. Fill the rest of the bins, and I'll get them some hay. Then I can show you how to groom them."

Caroline went back to the feed room and was doing fine until Stefan heard a loud screech. The horses all jumped, startled. He dropped the hay bale he was in the process of bringing down from the loft, and rushed over to see what happened.

Caroline, a look of upmost disgust on her face, had lifted her foot and was looking at the bottom of it. Stefan just came over and scraped the manure off the sole and the sides, his only comment being, "You should wear boots."

Caroline gave him an evil look.

"That is one of the hazards of being around horses."

Caroline whipped around when she heard the distinctive British accent. She said shyly, "I just came with Stefan to see the horses. I hope you don't mind."

Stefan paid no attention to Klaus, just went back to get the bale of hay. Klaus gallantly responded, "I'd be happy to show you my horses, especially the two new ones. They're Andalusian and very beautiful."

Klaus invited her to follow him and took her over to two stalls near the back. Caroline gasped as she saw the long manes and tails and arched necks. "I love white horses!" she gushed.

"Actually, they're grey." Klaus gently corrected her.

"No, they're white," she said puzzled.

"White horses are always called grey." Klaus smiled at her.

Caroline, never one to mind her tongue, said, "That's just plain dumb. Anyone can see that they're white."

Klaus laughed and said, "Let's get them fed and groomed, and I'll show you what they can do."

Klaus instructed Caroline while Stefan ignored them, working in silence on the horses. When they were all done, Stefan said, "I'll be going."

"Don't go," Klaus requested. "I want you to ride one of the Andalusians. It will be a better show for Caroline."

Stefan tried to leave, but Klaus blocked him. "Please, saddle up."

Stefan knew he wouldn't be allowed to leave. Caroline sensing the tension tried to ease it by saying, "Please, Stefan. I'd like to watch you ride."

They got the horses saddled and took them out to the ring. Rebekah had come down from the house and sat watching with Caroline. The two men saddled up, Klaus informing Stefan what he knew about the horse's particular traits.

Klaus turned to Caroline. "They're both highly schooled in dressage. Do you know what that is?"

Caroline just shook her head.

"Rebekah, fill her in on what we're doing please."

The men took their time warming up the horses and then started putting them through their paces. They kept it fairly simple, extended and collected trots, and lead changes. Then they both kept their horses on the bit, and performed a half pass and a piaffe. Caroline clapped her hands in glee, and even Rebekah was appreciative. Klaus finally called it quits saying it was enough for the first time.

Stefan, concentrating on communicating with his horse, was the most relaxed he had been since he had lost control.

Rebekah took advantage of his good mood and drove him home, ending the evening sleeping with him, much to the relief of Damon, who took it as a sign Stefan was recovering. A thoughtful Sinead wasn't so sure.


	18. Action?

Elena was brushing her teeth when she heard her phone's ring tones. She quickly rinsed, spit, and grabbed the phone, looking at the screen to see 'unknown caller'. She frowned at the phone and then answered. "Hello."

"Are you alone?"

Elena paused. She knew that voice. "Katherine?"

The question was repeated. "Are you alone?"

"Yes, I am," Elena responded.

"We need to talk."

Elena wavered, but eventually decided to answer the questions and tell Katherine exactly what the situation was in Mystic Falls. She spent an hour and a half going into great detail on the relationships and what had happened since Katherine fled.

When she had finished and clarified any points that Katherine had raised, there was silence on the other end for a few moments.

Elena waited patiently, wondering what Katherine was up to. She certainly hadn't called to say 'hello' since there was no love lost between the two of them.

Elena heard a deep sigh, and then Katherine totally surprised Elena by saying, "I need your help."

Elena actually took the phone away from her ear and looked at it before asking, "Why would I help you?"

"Because you'd be helping someone you care for. At least I think you still care for him."

Elena thought she knew what was coming and quietly said, "You want Stefan."

Katherine admitted it. "Yes, I do."

"I thought you cared only for yourself." Elena taunted her.

"Well, I guess I learned better."

Elena was stunned by Katherine's admission. "Why would Stefan be better off with you?" she asked half sarcastically and half genuinely curious.

"I would help him stay out of ripper mode. He'd be part of a stable vampire family group."

"How could you possibly keep him from Klaus and Rebekah? You're not strong enough!" Elena protested.

"I can't do it by myself, that's true," Katherine admitted.

"Elijah." Elena whispered his name.

The next thing she heard was his voice. "Hello, Elena."

Elena couldn't help the smile that lit her face. "I'm glad you're alive," she said simply.

The cultured voice, with the slight European accent replied, "That makes me happy to hear."

"Can you protect him? Will you protect him?" Elena needed his reassurance.

"Yes, Elena. Katerina and I have come to an amicable, hmmm, shall we say arrangement. Stefan would fit into our family. He and I have the same moral values. We would leave all the nastiness to Katerina . . . Oof!"

Elena smiled, imaging Katherine punching him for that one. She sobered up and asked, "What do I have to do?"

**a*a***

Sinead casually glanced at her phone and then whipped her head back around. There was an e-mail to an address that she kept closely guarded and available to only three people. She quickly read the message written in a language very few individuals were capable of understanding. She looked up and smirked. "Now what is going on?" She quickly returned the e-mail, responding in the same language. She paced back and forth impatiently until she heard the sound of an incoming message.

She read it and then deleted all the entries. She quickly raced out of the room, down the stairs, and popped into the living room where Damon and Sage were talking. "I'm off to see a new contact from my dating site. This one better not be some old fart trying to connect with a young thing!"

Damon and Sage laughed, knowing that so far Sinead had been totally disappointed with the few men she had allowed herself to actually meet in person.

Sinead rushed out, jumped into her sports car, and drove off. She kept careful watch and was certain she wasn't followed.

She drove an hour to a nearby town, parking outside a café that was a known hang out spot for young people. She walked in, ordered a coffee, and sat at a table. She took her time, having a couple of sips before she followed the sign downstairs to the ladies room. She ducked into a store room after making certain she was alone.

She closed the door behind her and leaned her back against it. "Come out, come out wherever you are?" She smiled as she half sang the phrase.

"Hello cousin!" A young man with the same red gold hair and similar features came out from behind a shelf. "We're safe, the room is silenced," he assured her.

"I never doubted it," Sinead responded.

They formally faced each other and swore a truce in the old language. Once it was completed Sinead rushed and jumped into the man's arms, saying joyfully, "Patrick! It's so good to see you."

"Aw, the black sheep of the family have to stick together!" he said, but it was clear he was just as glad to see her.

They hugged fiercely and then stepped back to look at each other. He marveled, "I swear by the Lord that you don't look a day over sixteen, and I know you're twenty-five. Living with vampires must be good for you."

She smirked. "Herbs, spells. I intend to live as long as possible and as good as possible."

"Me too," he confirmed, "but I like the dashing, more mature look."

They both laughed. They talked for awhile, Patrick catching her up on what he knew about other members of their family before she said reluctantly, "So, I guess we have to get down to business. This isn't a social call, I presume."

He sobered quickly and said, "You swore the oath, so I'll speak freely. I've aligned myself with a powerful vampire who is interested in acquiring a couple of vampires who are currently living in Mystic Falls." When Sinead's eyebrows rose, he airily assured her, "Totally insignificant vampires."

Her cynical response was, "Let me be the judge of that."

"Stefan Salvatore and Caroline Forbes."

"Oh, Patrick!" She sighed deeply. "Caroline could probably leave without too much trouble, but Stefan?" She shook her head. "I don't know about that."

He leaned back against a couple of sturdy boxes, arms and legs crossed, studying her. "I ask only that you don't interfere. You're not just family, you're my favorite cousin. I don't want to fight you." He thought about it and said, "Actually I like you much better than my holier than thou brother."

Sinead laughed and looked at him fondly. "We had some grand times when we were kids, didn't we?"

"That we did," he said. "That we did."

"What's the plan for Stefan?" Sinead asked.

Now it was Patrick's turn to raise his eyebrows. "Just Stefan, not Caroline? Hmm! You always did have a weakness for pretty boys."

"Shut up and spill your guts, cousin!" Sinead demanded.

He filled her in, and they talked for another three quarters of an hour, planning. Patrick was genuinely surprised by Sinead's offer.

They left separately after a fond hug, but as she left, Patrick teased, "How can you afford that car?"

"I have my ways cousin, I have my ways." And she blew him a kiss.

**a*a***

Elena received another phone call that evening. "There's been a change in plans."

She listened quietly for a long time and then said, "I'll call you back with my decision."

She wandered around her bedroom, thinking. She finally ended up at her dressing table, picking up a photo of her and Stefan. She ran her finger over his face, tears welling up in her eyes. "How did it go so wrong?" she whispered.

She stood for a long time and then straightened up and put her head back, facing herself in the mirror. "You know what has to be done."

She picked up her phone and called the unknown number. "I'll be there. Does Caroline know what to do?"


	19. Action and Resolution

Caroline stopped by mid morning to ask Stefan to take her riding. Sage was out of town with Rebekah and Klaus, and Damon had errands to run in the next town over.

"Thanks, Caroline. That'll keep Stefan busy." Damon felt free to leave knowing Caroline would watch his brother.

Caroline drove while Stefan idly listened to the radio. It wasn't until about fifteen minutes had passed that he realized they had turned away from the road to the Mikaelson manor.

"What's doing, Caroline?" Stefan asked.

She smiled over at him. "I need to run some errands before we ride."

He accepted this without question, not becoming suspicious until they pulled up into a truck stop and Caroline urged him to change cars. "Trust me!" she begged.

He hesitated before finally agreeing, and they drove for another fifteen minutes to a small isolated house. There were several cars in the driveway, one of which Stefan recognized. "Oh, Caroline," he protested.

Caroline took his hand. "Come on, Stefan."

They walked in and Stefan stopped short at the sight of Elijah, Katherine, Elena and Matt, Sinead, a young man he didn't recognize, and Tyler.

He turned to Caroline. "Tyler's here for you, isn't he?" He smiled at her. "I'm glad!"

She smiled back at him. "You're coming too!"

The smile left his face and he looked around uncertain, his gaze ending up on Elena's face. She stepped forward and gently took his hands. "You're going with Elijah and Katherine, Stefan." As he shook his head, she repeated, "Yes, Stefan, you are."

"Elena." So much was said in that one word. So much pain; so much longing; so much regret.

She lovingly cupped his face. "It will be okay."

Sinead and Patrick moved forward while Caroline ran into Tyler's arms, kissing him joyfully.

"We need to hurry," Patrick urged. "We don't have much time, and if we mess up there'll be hell to pay.

Elijah and Katherine moved up also and Elena and Katherine, holding hands, each took one of Stefan's hands. They knelt, pulling a bewildered Stefan down with them. Elijah knelt behind Katherine, his hands on her shoulders.

Sinead and Patrick, both wearing wrist bracelets, joined hands and chanted in a language only they knew. Stefan's body jerked, but Elena and Katherine held him tight.

When the ceremony was complete Elena and Katherine let go of his hands and he slumped to the floor. Elijah and Katherine shook him gently as Patrick and Sinead hustled Elena and Matt out the door. Elena looked back to see Stefan open his eyes and reach a hand up to Katherine's face, a huge, warm smile on his face. He put another hand up to Elijah, who smiled back at him.

She looked at Sinead. "It worked didn't it?" She was clearly asking for reassurance, as if afraid that it might not be true.

Sinead looked back at a happy Stefan. She smiled with satisfaction. "It worked. All his feelings for you have been transferred to Katherine and Elijah. He'll be happy with them."

"Thank you!" Sinead was surprised when Elena hugged her and Matt patted her on the back.

Sinead stammered out, "Hey, it's only right that the hero get the girl!"

Patrick raised his eyes to the heavens. "Lord girl, are you still reading those trashy romance novels?"

Sinead punched gently in the stomach and then hugged him. "Try not to get yourself killed, Cousin."

"You too." He spoke to the three of them. "We've covered our spells and this house will not be found. There is no witch in the area that can reveal them, and Klaus trusts Sinead so he won't go looking for outside help. She'll do a quick spell when you get away from here to make you forget. Now go! We're running out of time."

Elena and Matt, hand in hand, took one last look at a happy Stefan and Caroline, and then quickly left. They had a life together to plan out.


	20. Epilogue

**Two Years Later**

Damon and Sage, followed by a subdued Sinead, walked in to be met by a frowning Kol. A particularly loud crash, made all four heads turn towards the back of the house. He jerked his head in the general direction of the noise. "Good luck! They're in a frenzy." He quickly went upstairs, taking them two at a time, his speed giving the impression he was escaping.

They looked at each other and Damon gave a twisted smile and a nod. Sage nodded back, and they bumped knuckles and walked together, having pinpointed the location of the room from the crashing sounds. Sinead trailed reluctantly behind them.

They knocked on the open door as a courtesy before walking in.

Their eyes took in an angry looking Rebekah and an almost rabid Klaus. He was so mad his eyes were yellow and spit froth decorated his chin.

Stunned, Sage asked, "What?"

"I found him. Finally, one of the team got through with a phone call before he presumably died. They have him." Klaus snarled. "They have both of them!"

Damon and Sage exchanged puzzled glances unable to determine who 'they' were. They knew Klaus had been trying to find Stefan for over a year now. Sinead had insisted she was unable to do a tracking spell, asserting that most likely another witch was blocking her. Klaus had resorted to the old fashioned tried and true method of spreading the word through the vampire network. The intimidated vampires fell all over themselves to funnel information back to the feared hybrid. Unfortunately, most of the so called leads were false trails, but whenever information came through that looked viable Klaus sent a team of hybrids.

Rebekah, looked up from the chair she had thrown herself into. "Stefan and Caroline are with Elijah and Katerina. It sounds like Tyler's there also."

Damon closed his eyes briefly and then opened them. Sparks almost flew from his eyes he was so mad. How dare she? How dare she do this one final snub to him? He felt the veins under his eyes engorge with emotion, and his fangs bump against his gums.

Klaus stopped his pacing to stare at him. "You really didn't know."

Damon's angry hiss actually had a calming effect on Klaus. His eyes bled back to their normal blue, and he spoke rationally. "I always suspected that maybe you had second thoughts about letting your brother go."

Damon's voice was venomous. "I will never let her get away with this. I will skin her before I stake her."

His angry response made Klaus smile and even got a low laugh out of Rebekah. "I get to kick her while you do it."

Sage spoke again. "Where are they?"

"Bolivia, of all places." Klaus shook his head. "I received another so called tip, and sent four of my hybrids down there. Apparently this was real." His mouth twisted. "I don't expect any of them to return."

"We'll find them. Give me some hybrids, and Damon and I will bring him back. And we have Sinead, in case there's another witch." She turned to the witch, hanging back almost in the hallway. "Right, Sinead?"

"Yes," was the nervous response. "Anything . . that . . you . . need. Yes, of course."

Damon's head swiveled towards her, and he shot a suddenly suspicious look at her from under his brows, but said nothing.

Klaus, suddenly cheerful, smiled and said, "It's settled then. When you get close, call me, and I'll come down and take back Stefan and Elijah, but Katerina dies. I've had enough of her interference." He became serious again. "And Tyler. I will not allow a disloyal hybrid to live. He dies too."

He walked over and quickly poured five shots of bourbon which he passed out. He raised his glass. "To Katerina's and Tyler's death!"

Four more glasses lifted.

"To Their Death!"

~ FIN ~


End file.
